Fifth Time's The Charm
by TBorah89
Summary: With Deacon in rehab for a fifth time Rayna debates telling him that she is carrying his child. Her conscience wins out and she lets him know that they are going to be parents. This story is an imagining of what could have been had Deacon known about Maddie from the start.
1. Chapter 1

A/N: This is a Rayna and Deacon fic that I just had to write because the plot wouldn't leave me alone until I did. It starts out before season 1.

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters I'm just borrowing them for my own amusement.

* * *

Chapter 1

The bright light streaming in through Rayna's apartment window caused her to wake up with a groan. Her eyes were instantly drawn to the diamond engagement ring on her left hand. A feeling like lead settled in the pit of her stomach and it had nothing to do with morning sickness. The side of the bed next to her was rumpled, but empty. That meant that Teddy was already up and hopefully out the door.

She didn't think that she had it in her to deal with him this morning. She'd spent another night crying herself to sleep. Even though he pretended not to notice she was sure that he did and she didn't want to have to explain that to him. It really didn't bode well for her impending marriage that she was already keeping things from him. It also didn't help that the man she was marrying wasn't the man she wanted to marry and in all likelihood wasn't the father of her child.

She would be more surprised if Teddy turned out to be the father than if he didn't. The man that she wanted and the man that had put this baby inside of her was unavailable to her. Or at least she'd made herself think that she would be better off without him in her and her child's lives. That heavy feeling in the pit of her stomach had to do with the fact that she was one day closer to her impending nuptials.

The thought of getting married should fill her with joy instead of the sense of dread that intensified a little bit more every day. She knew why that was. She was doing the wrong thing. It felt wrong to her and she couldn't live with herself for the rest of her life if she had to feel this way.

The only way to correct that was to tell the truth like she should have to begin with. Now that she'd had time to think about it she could handle this. She was stronger than she gave herself credit for. If she told this lie now even if it were for the right reason it would never sit right with her. The only thing was she hadn't quite worked up the courage to tell the truth yet.

She got out of bed and got dressed. She was supposed to be down at Sound Check to rehearse with her band for a show they had coming up anyway. She might as well surprise them by showing up early for a change.

She checked her reflection in the mirror. At twelve weeks pregnant she wasn't showing yet. That was one thing to be thankful for anyway.

"Ray, you're here earlier than I expected you. The band hasn't been here for that long." Her manager Bucky Dawes greeted her.

"Sleep is not something that's really happening for me right now. So, you've got me early for a change." Rayna shrugged her shoulders.

"You feeling ok, Ray?" Bucky's eyes traveled to her stomach.

"I'm fine you don't have to check up on me even though I know that my sister has threatened you with death if you don't." Rayna laughed it off.

"When are you going to figure out that being all in your business is her business?" Bucky laughed with her.

"That's just what she thinks. What do you think of the new guitar player? Will he be ready to go by next week?" Rayna talked business with him.

"He's a quick study and he will do for now. You'll need someone a little more experienced when you go back out on tour. You have a while before you have to worry about that though." Bucky replied.

"Alright, I will give him a shot then." Rayna smiled at him. "Thanks, for showing up today, guys. I wanna do a few run through the set list a few times. It shouldn't take us long and hopefully we can have an early day." She addressed her band.

They gathered their instruments and got up on the stage.

"Stop! It's not right. It doesn't sound right. I can't do this right now." Rayna pulled her monitors out of her ears an hour later. She'd really tried to like the new guitar player, but she just didn't mesh with him.

Truthfully there was nothing wrong with the guitar player and it had everything to do with the man that was on her mind.

She got down off the stage and went back to one of the dressing rooms. She threw herself down in a chair and grabbed a bottle of water. She would give anything to be able to have a good stiff drink right now, but that wouldn't be an option for another six months.

"What's wrong with this one, Ray?" Bucky had dutifully followed after her.

"He can't get the right timin' down. I can't perform with a lead guitar player that misses his cue." Rayna spit back at him.

Bucky took that in stride he was used to her taking her moods out on him. "This is the third guitar player that we've tried since you know and none of them have been right."

"Bucky, did I hire you because you'll tell me what I want to hear or because you'll call me on my bullshit?" Rayna asked him bluntly.

"You hired me because I will always tell you the truth no matter how ugly it is." Bucky replied.

"Then say what it is that you're not saying." Rayna told him.

"Ok, there hasn't been anything wrong with any of the guitar players that we've hired except for one thing that they all have in common. They aren't Deacon. It's not the guitar players that are the problem it's you. I don't understand why this isn't the first time you've had to replace Deacon." Bucky had given her the ugly truth just like he'd promised he would.

"I guess I hired you to be my confidant and keep all my secrets too." Rayna mused.

"What you say to me stays between us no matter how much your sister pries." Bucky assured her.

"This isn't Teddy's baby it's Deacon's baby. Both Tandy and Teddy talked me into not telling him. There's a slim possibility that Teddy is the father, but it's very unlikely. I don't need a DNA test to tell me that this is Deacon's baby. I know as sure as I know my own name. That both thrills and scares me at the same time." Rayna admitted. It felt good to get that off her chest. She needed to talk to someone other than her sister about this.

"Oh, wow, I don't know what to say." Bucky's jaw hung open. He couldn't say that it surprised him all that much.

"You're supposed to give me the unvarnished, ugly truth. Tell me what you think I should do. No one else seems to have a problem with it." Rayna retorted.

"If you're so sure that this is Deacon's baby then you have to tell him. I'm not saying that you get back together with him or even let him anywhere near this baby alone until you're sure he can be trusted. If you go through with marrying Teddy and you tell the lie that this baby is his then you will have to tell it for the rest of your life. You have to ask yourself if you can live with that. Ray, I know you and I know how much you love Deacon. You may build a happy life with Teddy and he'll be everything that Deacon isn't, but you will never truly be happy. You build your marriage on a lie even if you're both in on it, it will eventually destroy everything good in your relationship. You can't live with this secret, Ray. I know it and you know it in the end it'll only end up tearing you up inside. You'll spend every day wondering if this is the day that Deacon or your child finds out the truth. Here is what you have to do forget what everyone else says you should do and what they want. This is your child not, Tandy's or Teddy's or mine. None of else can tell you what to do. This is a decision you have to make yourself." Bucky told her what he thought.

"I tried telling myself all of those things and they didn't sound as good as they do coming from you. I know what I have to do, I'm just terrified. There are so many what ifs. What if he can't stay sober? What if he's a constant disappointment as a father?" Rayna reasoned with him.

"You can't use those what ifs to justify something you know is wrong. The wrong thing done with good intentions is still the wrong thing. I think you'll end up hating yourself if you don't do what your heart is telling you to do. Furthermore, it wouldn't be fair to you, the baby, or Deacon to live a lie. I don't want to see you go through pain if it can be avoided. I think we both know that there's no way you can ever truly love Teddy and be satisfied with that. Not after what you had with Deacon." Bucky added.

"You're right, Buck. I just have to do it." Rayna nodded her head in agreement.

"Knock, knock," Tandy said as she opened the door. "The band said that you two would be in here. That Rayna is having a diva dip AKA a mood swing. Buck, do you mind if I have a minute alone with my sister to discuss some wedding stuff with her?"

"Sure, she's all yours." Bucky replied.

"Tandy, I can't not right now. I just have to get out of here for a little while. I'm sorry." Rayna jumped to her feet and brushed past her sister on her way out the door.

"What's with her?" Tandy asked her sister's manager.

Bucky made a face and shrugged his shoulders. "Hell if I know. It's probably just hormones or something." He wasn't about to betray Rayna's confidence in him.

"You're not saying anything that I don't know. I think she will get better once she and Teddy are married. Of course for that to happen I'm gonna need to go over with her what daddy arranged." Tandy shook her head.

* * *

Deacon pushed the bar up one last time and sat it on the rack. He moved his arms around to work out the kinks in his muscles. He grabbed a towel and stepped in front of the mirror that was in the gym. He wiped the sweat from his face and threw the towel in the laundry hamper. All the time he'd been spending in the gym really showed in his chest and biceps. Today was day eighty-seven of sobriety take five. He'd made it this far before only to backslide.

This time was going to be the time that stuck though. It had to be. He'd already lost everything that mattered to him in the world. Sure, he could rebuild his reputation and his career, but he could never replace Rayna. He studied himself in the mirror. His eyes were clear and bright for the first time in a long time. He looked healthy forget healthy he looked damn good and not just for a man in his thirties for a man of any age. He'd always been a good looking man anyway.

He grabbed a pair of fifty pound dumbbells off the rack and started doing bicep curls. When he wasn't in a group session he spent most of his time in the gym or in his room writing. He couldn't give himself too much down time to think. If he really sat and thought about things he would only get depressed. So, he'd set about turning his body into a finely tuned machine. He pushed himself harder every day. Just as he was finishing up with his reps one of the counselors stuck his head into the room.

"Claybourne, you have a visitor." He informed him.

"Who is it?" Deacon put the weights he'd been using up.

"You'll just have to go out to the common room and see." The counselor replied.

"Alright," Deacon replied. He searched his mind for who could be visiting him. It could be his mother or his sister, but that seemed unlikely. His sister never answered his calls from rehab. It was probably just Cole coming to check up on him for Rayna. She'd washed her hands of him, but she still checked up on him and paid for rehab.

 **XXXXXXXXXX**

Rayna paced back and forth in the common room while she waited for Deacon. She'd had no intention of coming up here when she left Sound Check it had just happened. Her instincts had guided her there. Either she just told him the truth now or she would never tell him. Bucky had been right she wouldn't be able to live with lying to everyone for the rest of her life. It was better this way. If she told him the truth now he wouldn't see it as such a big betrayal than if she waited longer to share the news with him.

"Ray! What are you doin' here?" Deacon spotted her as soon as he walked into the room. He would always be able to pick her out of a crowd. Despite being a little pissed at her he was still excited to see her.

Rayna turned at the sound of her name coming from his lips. The man that she saw didn't line up with the Deacon she knew. His voice and face were the same, but inside something about him was different and that was a good thing. As far as she could tell he hadn't changed fundamentally he just seemed less haunted. He'd never looked like way after a stay in rehab before. Not only did he look healthy if it were possible he'd gotten even better looking. She admired the muscle he had put on and her body tingled.

"Hey, Deacon," She gave him a smile and hoped that her voice didn't betray her lust for him. She pulled him into a quick hug. She had taken her engagement ring off and put it in her purse. There was no sense in waving a red flag in front of his face.

"It's good to see you." He brushed his knuckles across her cheek gently.

"It's good to see you too. It's even better to see you looking this good." She ran her hands up and down his biceps.

"Thanks. It feels good to have it all this together for a change." He gave her a small smile.

"I think this will be the time that sticks." She had to believe that with every part of who she was if she were going to at least parent with him.

"I think so too." He nodded his head. "What are you doin' here, Rayna? You were done with me for good."

"Is there some place that we can talk that's more private?" She asked him.

"Yeah, come on, follow me." He took her by the hand and led her outside. He took her down by a little pond that was situated away from the facility. "Since it started gettin' colder hardly anyone, but me comes out here so we should have the place to ourselves."

"We should sit down for this." She sat down on a stone bench and pulled his hand so he would sit beside her.

"I don't think I'm gonna like the direction that this conversation is gonna take." He just didn't like the look of anguish on her face.

"I won't beat around the bush I will just come out and say it. Deacon, you're gonna be a daddy, I'm pregnant." She rushed the words out of her mouth and she felt so much better. She'd left out the part about Teddy for the time being.

"What? How is that possible?" Deacon looked very confused. As far as he knew he and Rayna hadn't seen each other in months.

"The fact that you don't remember is how it's possible. I won't go into details, but we've been together a lot more recently than you think." Rayna told him.

"Are you sure that it's mine? It could be Teddy fuckin' Conrad's kid." He spit the name out bitterly. He didn't for one second mean that as an accusation of infidelity.

Well there was one part of what she had to tell him out of the way. "There's a very remote chance that he's the father, but, Deacon, babe, that man is so careful that public safety officers take advice from him. You and I on the other hand don't always pause to use protection. I know for a fact that we didn't on the night in question." She told him.

He scrubbed his hands over his face and sighed loudly. "I'm gonna be a daddy. I have no clue how to be a daddy given the rotten son of a bitch I had for a daddy. This is all I've ever wanted with you."

"Just stop don't panic. We have plenty of time to figure things out. The important thing right now is gettin' you better so you can be around this baby. Deacon, this is your absolute last chance. Do you understand me? I won't put a baby through what I went through with you. I will not let you anywhere near this child unsupervised if I even think that you've slipped." She gave him a word of warning.

"I understand, Ray." He reached over tentatively and put his hand on her stomach. "Hey kiddo, I'm your daddy."

Rayna closed her eyes and several tears spilled down her cheeks.

"Hey, don't cry. You said it yourself one day at a time. We will figure things out together." Deacon took her into his arms and held her tightly.

The pair sat that way for a long time not speaking. They didn't have to talk they never had.

She felt so safe in his arms. The burden that she had been carrying around was finally lifted off of her and she could enjoy this pregnancy. She smiled genuinely for the first time in weeks. Everything was going to be ok and work out the way that it should. Of course she still had to go deal with Tandy and Teddy, but for the moment she let herself be content.

* * *

Rayna got back to her apartment a little after six. She put her hand on the door handle and groaned when it twisted that meant she had company. She was going to have to deal with the situation she'd just created sooner rather than later.

"There you are, Rayna. Tandy said that you left rehearsal hours ago and no one has heard from you since. You weren't answering your phone and we were starting to get worried." Teddy greeted her with a smile and a kiss.

"I just needed to get out of there." Rayna told him. She didn't want to get into it as soon as she walked in the door.

"You won't dodge me twice in one day. Where you been, Babe?" Tandy asked her.

"I needed some time to myself the last time I checked that wasn't a crime." Rayna snapped at her.

"It's not a crime. The only thing that's a crime is how hopeless Teddy is with this wedding stuff. You are going to have to go over it with me." Tandy replied.

"About that…" Rayna pursed her lips.

"Rayna, tell me that you didn't." Tandy could tell just by the look on her face that she'd done exactly what she was afraid she'd done.

"I can't do that, Tandy." Rayna crossed her arms over her chest.

"What are you two talking about?" Teddy looked between the two sisters.

"I'll let her tell you, but it should be evident from the look on her face what she did." Tandy snorted.

"I went be the rehab today and I told Deacon that I was pregnant. This is my baby and I'm the one who was gonna have to live with that secret and still look myself in the mirror every day. So, I did what I knew was right thing like I should have done months ago." Rayna said firmly.

"Let me remind you that that could be my baby too." Teddy pointed out to her.

"You never learn when it comes to him. You keep going back to him no matter how many times he hurts you." Tandy grumbled.

"Tandy, I didn't say I was going to go running back to him. I just said that I told him. Also you can tell daddy that there isn't going to be a wedding any time soon." Rayna glared at her. She turned to Teddy. "Teddy, I told you from the beginning that there is virtually no chance that this is your baby."

"So, that's just it? We're over?" Teddy asked her.

"I didn't say that, Teddy." Rayna corrected him. She didn't know why she was hanging on to a relationship she really didn't want to be in. He was nice enough he just wasn't what she wanted. Part of her felt obligated to at least try. After all he was willing to raise a child that wasn't his as his own.

"No, her and Deacon will do the dance that they do. First they will posture and be mad at each other and eventually one of them will catch the other in a moment of weakness and they will be back together." Tandy stated bitterly.

"I don't know what's gonna happen. I don't have a crystal ball." Rayna said helplessly.

"You could have decided that you were going to do this before I told my mother about the baby." Teddy spit out.

"I did what I needed to do to have a clear conscience. I couldn't build a marriage based on a lie. If either of you don't want to talk to me right now that's fine too. You both know where the door is and you can walk out as easily as you walked in." Rayna would be damned if she let them bully her for finally doing the right thing.

"If that's the way you want it, Babe, I'm gone." Tandy grabbed her purse and left.

"I don't even know what to say to you right now. I don't know how to look at you. I'm gonna go too." Teddy put his jacket on and walked out.

Rayna sighed and sank down on the couch after they had left. She thought she'd cried herself out with Deacon earlier, but it turned out she still had more tears left to cry. She put her hands on her stomach and rubbed it. "Everything is gonna be ok, Peanut. No matter what happens you are always gonna have your momma." She spoke softly to her unborn child.

* * *

Three nights later Rayna answered a knock on her door. It couldn't have come at a more inopportune time. She and Teddy had just worked things out between them.

"You're not expecting anyone are you?" Teddy asked her from the kitchen.

"No, not that I know of." Rayna replied. She opened the door and her eyes went wide when she saw who was on the other side.

"Hey, Ray," Deacon spoke in his drawl.

"What are you doing here?" Rayna questioned him. He was still supposed to be at the rehab center. She only had the door open a crack to keep him from seeing Teddy.

"Can I come in and explain?" Deacon asked her hopefully.

"Hey, babe, who is it?" Teddy asked.

"What's he doin' here, Ray?" Deacon's smile faltered and his eyes turned cold.

"I'm her fiancé that's the only reason I need to give as to why I'm here." Teddy stared him down.

"Deacon, why don't you just come in so we can talk?" Rayna groaned inwardly.

"No, I don't wanna come in and talk. I can see what's goin' on here. You agreed to marry him and told him 'bout the baby before you told me. Hell, you probably had no intention of tellin' me. I don't know what I thought was gonna happen when I showed up here." Deacon clenched his hands into fists.

"That baby would be a lot better off with me as it's father whether I really am or not. The best thing you could do would be to walk away. Shouldn't you still be in rehab anyway?" Teddy told him.

"That's none of your damn business I ain't gotta answer to you. The only person I gotta make things right with is the mother of my child." Deacon retorted.

"Right this wouldn't be the first time that you left rehab early. A drunk has to want to change and I guess by her going to see you, you thought that you could keep up with your antics and she'd still be there. The truth is that you don't deserve either of them." Teddy spouted off.

"Teddy, that is enough. Knock it off right now." Rayna called him down.

"I'm just gonna go. Ray, you know where to find me if you wanna talk 'bout our child." Deacon bent down and picked two things up off the ground. "These are for you." He handed her bouquet of roses. "And this is for the baby." He handed her a teddy bear wearing a t-shirt with a picture of a guitar on it.

" Thank you, Deacon, that was really sweet of you. Listen before you go I have an appointment for the baby tomorrow. Teddy will be at work. Come with me. It would be really nice to see the baby together." Rayna spoke to him gently. She was afraid of Teddy causing him to wreck his sobriety on his first day out.

"Ok, I'll be there. Just let me know what time. You know where I'll be and you know how to get ahold of me." Deacon turned and walked away.

* * *

Deacon was by Rayna's side the next day when she went to her OBGYN appointment. He stared in awe at the tiny little bean that had created there on the screen. Tears came to his eyes when he heard the whoosh-whoosh-whoosh of his baby's heartbeat for the first time. The doctor assured them that everything was as it should be and they had a perfectly healthy baby.

He left the room so she could change back into her clothes. Something that he wouldn't have dreamed of doing before. But apparently she wasn't his anymore. That sure wasn't the signal she had sent him the other day at the rehab center.

"Deacon, do you have time for a cup of coffee or something? I think you and I have a lot to talk 'bout." Rayna asked him. She was hoping that they could be as civil as possible.

"Yeah, I don't have anythin' on my schedule for ever with the way things are goin' right now. So, I'm free any time you need me." Deacon quipped as they started walking to the car.

"You don't have a meeting to get to?" Rayna was referring to his AA meetings.

"I can go to a meetin' any time of day. There's always one going somewhere. And if I can't find a meetin' I can always call Cole." Deacon assured her.

"Speaking of that, what are you doin' out of rehab already? I paid for you to stay longer than ninety days." Rayna asked him.

Deacon pointed at her stomach. "This is my first baby, Rayna. I'm not gonna miss bein' here for all the milestones in your pregnancy. At the same time though I know that everything is at stake now not just you or bein' in your band. I am not gonna be to this baby what my daddy was to me. I'd rather crawl shirtless over broken glass than ever take a drink again. His demons got no claim on me and I ain't gonna let them take the first shot I have at havin' a family away from me. Anyway though, I signed out for outpatient counselin' and stuff."

"Good, I'm glad to hear you talk like that. Now I know I did the right thing tellin' you about the baby." Rayna replied.

Deacon dug in his pocket and pulled something out. He handed it to her. "This is for you or the baby or both of you if you want." It was his ninety-day sobriety chip.

"Your ninety-day chip. The baby and I both accept this. We are very proud of you." Rayna smiled at him warmly.

"The first ninety days of the rest of my life." Deacon smiled back. "Oh and, Ray. I ain't just lettin' Conrad think he's gettin' my love and my child. I'm gonna fight for you. I'm just lettin' you know that right now."

"One day at a time." Rayna reminded him before he got too far ahead of himself. "Deacon, don't, ok? The Teddy thing is complicated. I tried to give back the ring and he wouldn't take it. He wants to wait to see the results of the DNA test before he calls off the engagement." She sighed.

"I'm just sayin' you know that I don't give up without a fight." Deacon told her.

"I know you don't. It's good to see you back in fightin' shape. Come on, feed me and our baby we are both hungry." Rayna looped her arm through his and walked down the sidewalk with him. A little exercise would be good for her and the baby. His words set her on fire inside and she could tell that they were all in for one hell of a ride.

* * *

A/N: Here is the first chapter. I hope you guys liked it. I'm putting a new twist on the established Nashville story line. I will update as often as the mood strikes me and time allows. I'm not giving up on After the Fire is Gone or This Time Around. I have enough ideas in my head to continue on with all of them. Until next time please review.


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: Thanks to all my reviewers.

* * *

Chapter 2

"Guys, let's run through that last one again from the top. I ain't been gone that long and already ya'll are fallin' apart. You're all pros you're better than this." Deacon admonished the rest of Rayna's band. They were doing sound check at the Ryman before their show that night. It had taken a grand total of one lunch between him and Rayna for her to ask him to come back to the band. He just got her and knew how she wanted things done better than anyone else ever could.

Rayna was currently in the bathroom for the fifth time in an hour. She was either peeing or puking with the way things were going for her lately.

The band ran through the song again and they sounded so much better than they had the first time around.

"There are you go, ya'll. That's the standard I'm used to." Deacon praised them. "Ok, a couple things before Ray gets back. I have some new rules for ya'll. No more drinkin' durin' sound check. If somethin' comes up last minute and you can't make it to rehearsal call me. We all know I ain't gonna bite your head and I'll smooth things over for you with Rayna. And this is the important one. You either show up for shows sober or you don't bother showin' up at all. I know we have all been guilty of playin' drunk a time or two and I'm the biggest sinner in that category. We ain't stupid kids anymore it's time for us all to grow the hell up. If any of ya'll have a problem with those rules or you don't wanna follow 'em you know where the door is."

Rayna walked back on stage looking impressed. "I bet ya'll don't know whether to be happy to have him back now or not."

"We are happy to have him back you can actually get through a set without having a meltdown." Eric the bass player said.

"Damn, boss man, what did they do to you in that rehab? If they are that good maybe, I should have gone there." Hayes asked. He was one of the fiddlers.

"I grew the hell up finally. That's what happened." Deacon replied.

"Ya'll, honestly I think we can call it a day. We've got the set down cold. You're used to playing with Deacon and you know that he will take care of you. I need nap, I need somethin' to settle my stomach, and I've got a baby on my bladder. I'm done for right now." Rayna told them.

"Ya'll know to be back here two hours before show time. And I was serious 'bout what I said. Show up sober or don't show up." Deacon added.

"Ray, everyone is sounding really good up there. I think all we needed was Deacon back on lead guitar." Bucky waited for Rayna on the side of the stage.

"Yeah, he's got all of us spoiled when it comes to bandleaders. There is no one else like him in the business." Rayna replied.

"That ain't true, but I'll take the compliment." Deacon reached over and touched her belly. "Did you eat somethin' that my son didn't like?" He joked.

"First of all keep your voice down. Secondly it could very well be a girl, and lastly I guess I did." Rayna listed off for him.

"I know that I'm just prayin' for healthy that's all that matters to me." Deacon replied.

"I don't know if I've said it yet so I will say it now. Welcome back, Deacon." Bucky clapped him on the back. He was glad to have him back with the band and doing so well in his sobriety, but he was also glad that he was there to take the brunt of Rayna's moods.

"I think you've mentioned that a time or two. Ray's difficult on a good day. Bein' pregnant and hormonal isn't a good day for her." Deacon teased.

"Deacon, shut up before I fire you again. You did this to me." Rayna glared at him. "Don't you have some place that you need to be this afternoon or somethin'?"

"I've already been to a meetin' today and I don't have counselin' until tomorrow. I'm pretty much free to annoy the livin' shit outta you if I want to." Deacon answered her.

"That's not what you're gonna do though. You're gonna feed me and the baby." Rayna corrected him.

"I can do that." Deacon agreed.

"I'll let you two get to that then." Bucky said. "Ray, you know what you've got going on here tonight."

"I know and I will handle it." Rayna replied. She knew what he was talking about she just didn't want Deacon to know.

"Just reminding you." Bucky waved to her.

Deacon looked curious, but he didn't ask what that was about. "What are you and Baby Claybourne cravin' today?"

"Peanut and I really, really want pizza." Rayna told him.

"Then that's what we will have." Deacon put his hand in the small of her back protectively.

They walked from the Ryman to the pizza place together it was easier than getting in the car and driving.

"So, you haven't asked why I didn't call things off with Teddy." She made conversation.

"I don't need to ask I kinda already know the answer to that one. He's safe and stable and right now you're scared to let yourself trust me again. Like I said I ain't lettin' you go without a fight. We are gonna give this baby the family that neither of us ever had. We can't do that if we ain't together." He replied.

She sighed, but she smiled inwardly. There really was something different about him this time. She had sensed it even before she'd told him about the baby. "I forgot how stubborn you can be when you get your mind set on something."

"Exactly, so don't think you're gettin' rid of me that easily." He held the door to the pizza parlor open for her.

"So, how is your treatment going?" Rayna asked him once they had their food.

"I think it's goin' good. It's different this time. That's probably 'cause this time I did it 'cause I wanted to and not 'cause someone forced me to. If I'd wanted it sooner we probably wouldn't be in this position right now. I just wasn't ready then." Deacon answered her.

"If there's anything that you need or anything that I can do to help you let me know." Rayna put her hand on top of his.

"The not drinkin' part I gotta do on my own. It's nice to have someone to talk to though. And I also need to apologize to you for everythin' that I've put you through. I know that you put up with a lot from me. You were never able to depend on me and I never kept my word to you. I was just as disappointed in myself as you were every time I let you down. Or every time that I failed at stayin' sober. Lettin' you down was worse than lettin' myself down. I've always wanted so badly to be the man that you need me to be." Deacon apologized to her.

"Deacon, I know that you tried your hardest and that you don't wanna be like your father. After we talked last week I called Cole. He suggested that it might be helpful if I were to just check out some of stuff available for families of alcoholics because no matter where we go from here you and I are always going to be family. We have this baby together and I want to see you succeed. I need to apologize to you too. I realize that I was harder on you than I should be every time that you slipped. I accused you of not really trying to get better. The fact is you did try you have a disease that is gonna be a lifelong battle. It's not just a matter of you not having the want or the willpower to get better. You did want to get better you did try to get better and I made you feel like even more of a failure than you already did." Rayna could recognize that she didn't exactly understand what he had been facing.

"Thanks, Ray, I really appreciate that. You didn't have to do all that though. I'm sure that you don't really trust that this time is gonna be different than any of the other times that I've tried and failed to get sober. As much as I wanna give this baby a real family I don't guess I would blame you much if you chose to build a life with Conrad." Deacon replied.

"Deacon, I haven't made a choice yet. And yes I did have to this. How am I supposed to understand you and raise our baby up with you if I don't understand your disease?" Rayna stared into his eyes.

"From here on out let's agree to do what's best for this baby no matter what." Deacon suggested.

"I can agree with that. Though I do have to ask you to forgive me for ever entertaining the thought of not telling you about the baby." Rayna responded.

"Course I forgive you, Ray. I know that you were just scared. Now we can be scared together." Deacon smiled at her.

* * *

Rayna turned from her vanity to look at the door of her dressing room as it opened. She smiled when she saw Teddy walk in holding a bouquet of flowers.

"These are for you. Break a leg out there tonight." Teddy told her.

"Thanks, Teddy." Rayna replied.

"I just wanted to show you how special you are to me. My parents are really excited to come tonight. I need to go meet them at our seats. Are you sure that it's not too much for you to give them a little tour after the show?" Teddy replied.

"Not at all. I'm glad that they could make it." Rayna waved off his concern.

Deacon stuck his head in the door unaware that Rayna had company. "Ray, I'm gonna get the band rounded up, so they are ready to go when it's time." The smile on his face faltered when he saw Teddy.

"Thanks, Deacon, I really appreciate that." Rayna smiled at him.

"I'll see you out there then." Deacon replied stiffly and he left quickly.

Teddy frowned and crossed his arms. "You have got to be kidding me. You let him back into your band? Knowing that he can't stay sober and he is bound to let you down yet again?"

"If he can stay sober there is nobody in this business better on guitar than Deacon. And if I can have the best I want the best. Besides that, if he has a job he doesn't have countless hours in the day that give him a bigger chance of slipping. I won't defend my choices to you when it comes to my career. I could do this without Deacon, but it wouldn't sound as good. I owe my fans more than that." Rayna informed him.

"We are going to have to lay down some ground rules for how this is gonna work once the baby gets here." Teddy didn't understand why she couldn't just stick to their agreement. Things would have been much better that way.

"Teddy, I'm not gonna do this with you right now. This is not the time or the place. We can discuss this later I have a show to do and you should get to your parents." Rayna retorted.

"Yeah, I should get out there." Teddy nodded at her.

 **XXXXXXXXXX**

Rayna walked off the stage after the show was over with a huge smile on her face. Her shows always went so much better when Deacon was on lead guitar.

"Ray, you sounded great out there tonight. I guess you were right about all those other guitar players. No one else is as good as the one you started out in this business with." Bucky smiled at her.

"Thanks, Buck." Rayna smiled back.

"Rayna, you were brilliant like always." Teddy hugged her.

"You'd say that even if I sounded horrible." Rayna hugged him back.

"That's because he's a smart man and he knows how to behave if he wants to have a good marriage." Ted Conrad chimed in.

"Don't listen to either one of them. How are you and our future grandchild doing?" Mary Conrad asked.

"We are both doin' good. The mornin' sickness has finally let up some and I'm grateful for that." Rayna fixed her stage smile on her face. She could tell that Teddy had yet to tell his parents that he was probably wasn't the father.

"If you've had a lot of morning sickness that probably means you and Teddy are giving me a granddaughter." Mary smiled excitedly.

"I'll settle for a healthy baby. It doesn't matter to me what the sex is." Rayna replied.

"Don't worry too much if this one is a girl. You can always give us a grandson on your next try." Ted beamed.

"Dad, let's get through this pregnancy and get us married before we start talking about more kids." Teddy stepped in.

"Hey, Ray, I'm takin' off. I didn't know if you wanted me and the rest of the band to stick 'round, so I thought I'd let you know." Deacon said on his way back to the dressing rooms.

"No, I don't need ya'll for anything else tonight. You can go on and tell the rest of them that they can leave." Rayna told him. She saw the pain he was trying to hide in his eyes.

"Will do, have a good night." Deacon flashed a quick smile at her.

"You too, Deacon." Rayna waved at him as he walked away. "Sorry, 'bout that. Someone always needs something from me. If ya'll wanna follow me I will give you a tour of this place." She truly wanted to do anything else in the world other than that.

* * *

"I will take it that you are speaking to me again from the fact that you agreed to meet me for lunch." Rayna sat down at a table across from Tandy.

"I was never not speaking to you. Other than daddy you're the only family that I have. I'm always going to be on speaking terms with you no matter what incredibly stupid thing you do." Tandy replied.

"Babe, it was the right thing to do and you know it was. I couldn't have lived with myself if I hadn't told him the truth. And knowin' my luck somehow he would have found out that this is his baby." Rayna pointed out to her.

"It still doesn't make it any less stupid." Tandy argued.

"Well, it didn't make my life any easier either. I've got Teddy pushing me to still marry him anyway, he can't stand the fact that there are going to be times that I have to be around Deacon, and he wants me to basically cut him out of this pregnancy completely. Then I have Deacon who I don't even know what to say about him right now." Rayna pinched the bridge of her nose. She and Teddy had had another round last night. He'd informed her that he didn't want her spending any time with Deacon and that he didn't need to be a part of her pregnancy.

"Do you want me to talk to both those jackasses?" Tandy offered.

"I thought you liked Teddy?" Rayna questioned.

"I do like Teddy, but that doesn't mean I'm on his side. You are my baby sister I'm on your side. I only want you to be happy and have a stress free pregnancy as possible. You can't do that if both your perspective baby daddies are fighting over you like some prize." Tandy quipped.

"They aren't really fighting over me per se. It's not like the two of them have gotten into a fistfight or anything. Teddy is being incredibly territorial like he owns me or something. And Deacon, well Deacon has been very understanding and I didn't expect that from him. I think that this rehab really worked well for him. He said that he would like for us to raise this baby up together as a family, but he understands if I would rather build a life with Teddy." Rayna explained.

Tandy covered her face with her hands. "Oh dear God, help me. Deacon Claybourne is gonna be my brother-in-law. I thought I had dodged that bullet, but I'm not gonna get that lucky."

"Tandy, what are you talking about?" Rayna looked at her like she was crazy.

"Rayna, we both know that you're gonna end up marrying him. You can say that you're with Teddy all you want to, but I can tell from the way you're talking that your heart is still with Deacon and it's only a matter of time until you follow it." Tandy informed her.

"Of course my heart is still with Deacon I never said that it wasn't. I just wish that I hadn't accepted Teddy's marriage proposal. I'm not saying that I'm gonna get back together with Deacon right now. I don't think he's ready for that. I think it would do him more harm than good. I'm not even sure that I have it in me to build a life with that man knowing that he's going to battle the urge to drink for the rest of his life. Teddy is nice. He is stable, a good provider, and he's sweet. But, good lord, Tandy, is that man vanilla. His idea of being adventurous is having sex with the lights on. Not that we did that that many times. I know that he's not the father, but until he sees it in black and white he won't believe it. He was ok to date, but I don't know that I can marry him." Rayna stressed.

"I know that with you in your current condition that this isn't the most ideal solution to the problem, but there's no law that says the only choices you have are Deacon and Teddy there's a third and even a fourth option if you want to take one of those." Tandy said thoughtfully.

"What did you have in mind?" Rayna sounded intrigued.

* * *

"What's he doing here?" Deacon and Teddy both said at the same time when Rayna opened the door of her apartment for them.

"Gentlemen, thank you for coming. Come on in and have a seat." Rayna ushered them into the apartment.

Teddy went right in and sat down on the couch and made himself at home.

Deacon stood up against the wall with his arms crossed. "What's goin' on here, Ray?"

"I think that we all need to talk. And by that I mean I'm gonna talk and you two are gonna listen to what I have to say." Rayna replied.

"Is that so?" Teddy asked.

"It is, Teddy." Rayna narrowed her eyes at him.

"Say what you gotta say. I got some place that I need to be." Deacon said not unkindly.

"The facts are this I'm engaged to you, Teddy. There isn't a doubt in my mind however that the baby I'm carrying is yours, Deacon. The whole situation is one big complicated mess that I don't want or need right now for that matter. This is my first pregnancy I should be enjoying it not worrying over what I'm gonna do about you two or that you're going to kill each other." Rayna laid the facts out for them.

Teddy went to open his mouth, but he thought better of it when Rayna shot him a look.

"There is something I can do to remedy that though." Rayna sat her engagement ring on the table in front of Teddy. "I'm giving that back to you. Right now I'm just not in the position to marry you."

Deacon hid a smirk behind his hand.

"Don't you go lookin' so happy just yet. Just because I'm not marrying him doesn't mean I'm gonna marry you either." Rayna told him.

Teddy bit his lip to keep his smile from showing.

"I'm not confined to just the two of you for options. There are three other options that I can take, but there are two that apply to this situation. Option one I can date both of you until I decide which one of you I really want. Or option two I choose myself. I'm taking option two. I choose myself and this baby. My main priority right now is him or her and not stroking either one of your egos." Rayna finished up.

"Ray, I told you once already. Whatever way you wanna play this I will abide by it. Whatever you need from me you got it. I just ask that you let me know when you have a doctor's appointment, because I do wanna be there for that. This is my baby too. I helped make it and I ain't gonna make you go through this alone." Deacon spoke up. It pained him to take a step back, but he was the one who had caused her to be this way.

"Deacon, I would never dream of cutting you out of this. You know me better than that." Rayna smiled softly at him. "Teddy, like I said I am positive that you aren't the father, but I understand that you want a DNA test to be sure and that you might wanna be involved too."

"Yeah, that would be nice." Teddy agreed.

* * *

Deacon reached around blindly for the ringing phone on his nightstand. "Hello?" he answered groggily. He sat up and turned his bedside lamp on. "Ray? What is it? Is somethin' wrong with the baby?" He listened to what she had to say. "Ok, I'll be right over."

Fifteen minutes later Deacon was knocking on her front door with an exasperated look on his face.

"Did you bring it?" Rayna asked him by way of greeting when she opened the door.

"Yeah, I brought it." Deacon held up a fast food bag.

"Thank you, you have no idea how horrible these cravings are." Rayna took the bag from him and left the door open to allow his entry.

"You really called me at one in the mornin' to get you food?" Deacon sounded a little amused.

"I really wanted a burger and I really didn't wanna have to get out of the house." Rayna was already eating.

"I thought that somethin' was wrong with you and the baby. You can't just be callin' me in the middle of the night like that if there isn't anythin' wrong." Deacon sat down next to her.

"Deacon, shut up and let me enjoy my food. This is your baby you get to deal with this. Did you bring my shake too?" Rayna talked with a mouth full of food.

"Yeah, here you go." Deacon sat her shake on the coffee table.

Rayna picked up her shake and took a big drink. "Oh my God, this is so good. I think that this may even be better than sex."

"If you think that burger and fries is better than sex then you're the one who had a few too many blackouts." Deacon looked at her like she was crazy.

"Since sex with you got me into this position I'm allowed to think that this burger and fries is better than sex." Rayna shot back. She couldn't deny that sex with him was life altering though. She hadn't had great sex since the last time she was with him. She had to shake those thoughts from her head quickly before she had to fight off yet another bout of being horny. Her hormones were all over the place these days.

"I prefer to think of it as our love was too great to be confined to two people so it created a third person to share that love." Deacon smirked at her sexily.

"No, do not look at me like that right now. If you look at me like that you're gonna make me want you and I have taken a vow of celibacy." Rayna frowned at him.

"You take a vow of celibacy? Now that is a joke. You may have been a virgin when we met, but as it turns out you need it just as badly as I do." Deacon snorted.

"That's your fault for being so damn good in bed and so damn hard to resist." Rayna laid the blame on him.

"You ain't gonna blame the fact that you're a hot crotch on me." Deacon put up his hands to fend off the blows that she sent his way.

"It is your fault. You're the one who showed me how good sex could be. You gave me the best sex that I ever had and then you forced me to go after partners who were less than suitable in the bedroom." Rayna stopped hitting him and went back to eating.

"So, Conrad wasn't quite up to par in the sheets." Deacon's chest puffed out with pride.

"See this right here is what I can't deal with, with you two." Rayna told him.

"What do you mean partners? You told me that you'd only ever saw Teddy." Deacon looked confused.

"Deacon, I can count my sex partners on one hand with two fingers and a thumb left over. So, yes I've only ever had sex with two men." Rayna assured him.

"Hey, you were the one that brought this subject up not me." Deacon tried to look innocent.

"I know, but you were the one who took it and ran with it." Rayna swatted him one more time for good measure.

"Hey, stop abusin' me and eat your food." Deacon shook his head at her. He sank back on the couch just content to be with her.

Rayna ate the rest of her food quickly. More like she inhaled it.

"Was that good?" Deacon asked her.

"That was better than you can imagine." Rayna gave him a satisfied smile.

"Good, I hope it was worth draggin' my ass outta bed. Now I gotta get up and drive home. I just gotta get up the gumption to get off this couch." Deacon yawned.

"It was so worth getting you out of bed so I didn't have to go get it myself." Rayna got up off the couch. She went to the hall closet and got a pillow and blanket.

"What's that?" Deacon arched his eyebrow.

"You're the father of my child, Deacon. I can't have you driving across town tired that's how accidents happen. I need you here to raise this baby with me. So, sleep on my couch." Rayna laid the pillow and blanket on the couch.

"Well, thanks for that, Ray. I appreciate it." Deacon toed his boots off.

"Deacon, I'd do any damn thing in this world for you. You have to know that by now." Rayna replied.

"I do know that. I don't doubt that for a minute." Deacon smiled at her.

Surprising both of them Rayna leaned over and kissed him on the lips. "Night, Deacon, sleep well."

"You too, Ray. If you need anythin' don't be afraid to wake me." Deacon told her with a goofy grin on his face.

Rayna hesitated for a moment and then she decided to throw caution to the wind. "I do need somethin' else, Deacon."

"What's that?" Deacon looked up at her.

"I need you. Come to bed with me." Rayna held out her hand to him.

"Now, that you ain't gotta ask me twice." Deacon took her hand and walked back to the bedroom with her.

* * *

A/N: Here is the next chapter. I hope you guys enjoyed it. I've decided that the first few chapters are gonna focus on the pre season one stuff and then we will get into season one. The first couple of chapters are going to move fairly quickly and then they will go at a more steady pace. Until next time please review.


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: Thanks to all my reviewers.

* * *

Chapter 3

Deacon stared in amazement at the woman lying in bed next to him. She could have left him to sleep on the couch all night or she could have continued on with her charade of a relationship with Teddy, but she hadn't. She'd given him yet another second chance and for that he'd always be grateful. They hadn't had sex last night she'd just wanted him to hold her and he'd been ok with that. This was progress a couple of weeks ago he hadn't thought that she'd ever have anything to do with him again.

He smiled at the adorable little faces she made when she slept. She'd slept that way since he'd known her. Even though it had been a decade since they'd first gotten together she still looked like the sixteen-year-old that had stolen his heart. He'd broken her and made her wise beyond her almost twenty-seven years. He'd taken her innocence in more ways than one. If he had his way about it though he would spend the rest of his life trying to make it up to her.

"Hi, beautiful, did you sleep well?" He asked when he saw those gorgeous eyes of hers open.

"Hi, handsome, I did. I slept better than I have slept in months. I missed you in the bed next to me." She ran her hand along the stubble on his jaw and kissed him.

"What do you and Baby Claybourne want for breakfast? I will make you anythin' you want." He offered.

"We want you to lay here and hold us for a little while. Because in your arms right here right now everything feels like it's gonna be alright. I really need to feel that right now." She replied.

He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close to him. She still in that groove of his body like she was meant to be there. "I thought you weren't gettin' back together with me."

"Oh, darlin', I'm not back together with you. You have to prove yourself to me. So far so good. Keep up the good work." She kissed him again.

"What 'bout Conrad?" He asked her.

"I know enough to know that I don't wanna be with Teddy. I'm gonna try to talk to him again. I did the math in my head after my last appointment and there is really no way that he's the father. I just have to make him see that." She wrapped her arms around his neck.

"I'm sorry that I put you in that position. It should have never come to this." He apologized.

"I made the choice though, Deacon. I was the one who wasn't going to tell you and now I have to live with the consequences of that choice. I promise you that this is your baby though." She swore to him.

"If you say this is my baby then I don't doubt that at all. I just wish I knew how it was possible." He rubbed her back.

"We were together up at the cabin. You got really drunk and didn't remember any of it the next morning." She informed him. She left out the part where he proposed.

"Ray, I'm so sorry." He wasn't sure what else to say.

"You don't have to be sorry. What I need you to do is stay committed to your sobriety. We can't change the past, but we can build a better future." She ran her hands through his hair.

"I can do that. I don't ever wanna go back to the way I was before. That wasn't livin'." He agreed to her terms.

"Do you think that you could get up and make me some of your famous scrambled eggs? I really, really miss your cooking." She kissed along his jawline.

"Yeah, I can do that. I have time for breakfast, but then I need to get goin'. I have counselin' today." He kissed her forehead and got out of bed.

* * *

After his counseling session Deacon returned to his house in East Nashville to find Teddy sitting on his front steps waiting for him. He took his sunglasses off and got out of his truck. He didn't know what Teddy wanted, but it couldn't be good. He walked up to his house.

"Well, I guess you're gonna tell me what you're doin' here whether I wanna hear it or not." Deacon leaned against a pillar.

"We both know that you're no good for Rayna or this baby. If you love them as much as you say you do you'll walk away and let me provide for them. I can give them a loving and stable home. I will be the guy that they can always depend on." Teddy made his pitch.

"I can't do that. I'm not 'bout to walk away from my own child. I've messed up more times than I should, but I have a disease. I'm gonna have to fight it every day for the rest of my life, but that doesn't mean that I'm not worthy to be a part of my own child's life. You damn sure don't get to decide whether I'm involved or not." Deacon retorted.

"If you love them let them go. You just said it's something that you have to fight. Don't drag them through that with you. Let Rayna have a chance to be happy without you. You are all she has ever known. How is she supposed to know if you are the one for her if she doesn't know any different?" Teddy reasoned with him.

"Conrad, you're testin' my patience. I'm tryin' real hard not to react how I normally would in this situation, but you're makin' that extremely difficult. Let me ask you this. Would you wanna win by default just 'cause I walked away or would you rather win her heart and know that she truly loves you?" Deacon arched his eyebrow.

Teddy didn't know how to reply to that. He took a moment to collect his thoughts while he got to his feet. "I just know that you aren't good for her and you're only gonna end up breaking her heart again."

"Let me tell you somethin' this ain't a game to me. She isn't some prize to be won she is the love of my life and we are havin' a baby together. There's nothin' that you can say or do to change the fact that we are gonna be a family." Deacon told him.

"Don't get comfortable thinking that you have this all sewn up. I don't intend to lose her without a fight." Teddy warned him.

"Well, I ain't walkin' away. I guess we will just have to let her decide what it is she wants. Now, get the hell off my property and don't come back." Deacon walked into his house without another word to the other man.

* * *

One Month Later

"Babe, this is more than just a little ridiculous I want you to know that." Tandy looked over at her sister in the passenger seat.

"You don't get to complain you agreed to come along for the ride." Rayna wore a ball cap and sunglasses. She was also eating onion rings. Her cravings were all over the place the further along she got in her pregnancy.

"Because I didn't want you to hurt yourself or the baby by eating and driving. It doesn't mean I think that this is a good idea. We have been following Deacon all day and I still don't know way." Tandy rolled her eyes at her.

"We are following Deacon because he tells me that he's busy and has things to do, but he won't tell me what those things are. I think he may be seeing another woman on the side." Rayna explained to her.

"So far the only things we have seen him do is go to the bank, go to the hospital for his counseling, and come here to practice with the band. It's not like you can even say anything if he had someone else you're still dating Teddy." Tandy pointed out.

"He knows that I'm dating Teddy it's not like I'm keeping that from him. If he weren't so seriously about his sobriety I would swear that he fell off the wagon and was drinking again with as secretive as he's being." Rayna replied.

"How about you just eat your onion rings and let me do the thinking here?" Tandy suggested.

"There's no need for you to be so mean to me. I'm just trying to make sure that my baby's father isn't cheating on me." Rayna's bottom lip quivered.

"Rayna, I can say a lot of things about Deacon, but I can't say that he doesn't love you. He loves you so much and he would never cheat on you. He's too dead set on building a family with you and your baby he wouldn't do anything to mess that up." Tandy put her hand on her sister's knee to comfort her.

"I don't understand what he's tryin' to hide from me then. We haven't seen him do anythin' wrong. I just don't get it." Rayna stuffed another onion ring in her mouth.

"Wait, who is that he just came out talking to?" Tandy pointed at Deacon.

"That's Riff Bell and the guy on the other side of Deacon is Luke Wheeler. Maybe I was wrong maybe he has fallen off the wagon again. He used to get into a lot of trouble with these two." Rayna looked at her sister worriedly.

"I'm sure that you have nothing to worry about." Tandy tried to reassure her.

That only worked until Luke produced a flask. He took a drink and then passed it to Riff. Deacon held his hand up when Riff tried to pass it to him.

"He didn't take a drink, Tandy. He had the opportunity to, but he didn't. I don't think I've ever seen him turn down a drink before." Rayna's eyes teared up.

"Rayna, get down he's looking this way." Tandy fumbled with the car keys.

"Shit," Rayna cussed when Deacon started to walk over to them.

"We are so busted." Tandy groaned when Deacon knocked on her window. She rolled it down.

Deacon stuck his head into the car. "What are you ladies up to?"

"We just saw your truck in the parking lot and we thought we would stop by." Tandy covered quickly.

"You just saw my truck in the bank parkin' lot too? I really hope ya'll have had a good time wastin' your afternoon. Why exactly are you followin' me?" Deacon sounded amused.

"If you would just tell me where you were goin' I wouldn't have to resort to this. What are you doin' with Luke and Riff?" Rayna turned it around on him.

"If you must know the thing I didn't tell you until it was a done deal was Luke and Riff are both gettin' ready to put out albums. They wanted me to do some guitar work for them. We have a baby on the way. Every little bit of money helps." Deacon explained to her.

"If you had just told me that I wouldn't have followed you around like a crazy person. I thought you were cheating on me." Rayna admitted.

"Ray, you're the only woman that I want. There is no way that I would cheat on you. And obviously if I have you I don't need to try to juggle any other women. Point in case you're followin' me." Deacon arched his eyebrow.

"I'm sorry, babe, these pregnancy hormones make me a crazy person. You're doin' so well and I'm so proud of you. I just don't wanna see you backslide." Rayna apologized.

"It's alright. I guess it's what I get for not bein' up front with you. Part of me was holdin' back cause you're still seein' Teddy and I wanted you to know what it was like to be out of the loop. We both need to learn to trust each other." Deacon replied.

"We do and Teddy he's more of a bad rash that won't go away no matter what I do to get rid of him." Rayna shrugged her shoulders.

"Let me get one of those onion rings. As you know I haven't stopped for food since I left the house." Deacon reached over Tandy to grab Rayna's food.

"Deacon, I wouldn't do that." Tandy cautioned him.

Rayna smacked his hand. "Those are Baby Claybourne's onion rings. You need to go get your own food. What's wrong with you? You don't take a pregnant woman's food."

Deacon pulled his hand back. "Sorry, I thought that we could share. I can see how wrong I was about that now."

"Babe, do you want me to let you out of the car so you can ride around with him for the rest of the day? Now that he knows that you've been following him you don't really need me." Tandy asked. She wanted to get out of the middle of this mess.

"Tandy, honestly I expected better than this from you. I thought at the very least I could count on you to talk her out of this. Just like you talked her outta tellin' me that I'm gonna be a daddy." Deacon zinged her.

"Deacon, I happen to think that you're the worst thing in the world for my sister and this baby. That being said I promised her that I would be on her side when it came to this. Even I can admit that you have been very sincere in your efforts to change. It doesn't mean I like you it just means that I can see how much you love her." Tandy shot back.

"You know what? Thanks for the ride, Tandy, but I'm just gonna get outta the car now. I would rather that you two didn't do this so publically. That's what holidays and family gatherings are for. You can air your contempt for each other out there where the general public can't see it." Rayna grabbed her onion rings and got out of the car. The small bump in her midsection was the only evidence that she was pregnant.

"Be careful and call me when you get home so I know you are ok." Tandy said before she drove off.

Deacon wrapped his arm around Rayna's shoulders and kissed her cheek. "Come on, you can help me run the rest of my errands."

"We will have to stop for more food." Rayna told him.

"That's a plan I need to eat too." Deacon chuckled.

* * *

Teddy pulled out a chair for Rayna to sit down when they entered the Bluebird Café. "So, this is the place that you musicians are so crazy about?"

"Yeah, this is the mecca for us. Thanks for agreeing to come here tonight. I couldn't take another stuffy dinner. I'm more myself in places like this." Rayna took a seat.

"I'm more than willing to do whatever it takes to make you comfortable. I really just wanted to talk to you about your last doctor's appointment." Teddy sat down.

"The doctor says that everything is fine and the baby is healthy." Rayna smiled.

"That's really good. I also did a little bit of reading. There's a test you can have when you're far enough along that can determine paternity. That's just if that's something you're interested in." Teddy mentioned in passing.

"Teddy, I asked the doctor about the test too. There is very minimal risk to the baby, but that's still more risk than I'm willing to take. I promise you that Deacon is the father. We can do a DNA test when the baby is born, but it's not gonna change what I already know to be true." Rayna tried to let him down gently he just insisted on pushing harder.

"We can wait. That's no problem at all. I know you said that you wanted to wait to get married, but you're not going to be able to put that off for much longer. You're already showing a little bit." Teddy pointed out to her.

"Teddy, just stop and let's have a nice time together ok? I don't wanna stress about this." Rayna replied patiently.

"I can go along with that." Teddy picked up a menu. "What's good to eat here?"

"Anything as long as I'm not your waitress. I worked here for a little bit and I have to be the worst waitress in the world." Rayna laughed.

"I'll keep that in mind then." Teddy smiled at her.

They had been there for about an hour talking and having a good time when Deacon walked in the front door carrying his guitar case.

"Did you know that he was going to be here tonight?" Teddy asked her.

"I had no clue that he was gonna be here. Had I known I wouldn't have brought you here. I don't like to wave you two in front of each other's faces like a red flag. I can only tempt fate so many times before one of you loses your cool." Rayna assured him.

"Did you want to go?" Teddy questioned.

"No, he won't do anything as long as he isn't actively provoked. He's probably here to play for an open mic thing or something like that. It's not uncommon for bandleaders to do things like that while they aren't out on tour." Rayna explained to him.

Deacon strapped on his guitar and took the stage. He sat down on a stool and spoke into the mic. "Hey ya'll, for those of you who don't know me I'm Deacon Claybourne and I'm gonna play a few songs for you tonight. I know a lot of you ain't used to seein' me by myself, it's new for me too. We will just struggle through this together and hope for the best. This first song is called A Man Holdin' on to a Woman Lettin' Go."

He strummed his guitar. _"Two young lovers with their bodies on fire. Achin' to swim that river of desire. Leavin' innocence there on the bank by their clothes a man holdin' on to a woman lettin' go."_

" _There's a man with a bottle on the other side of town swimmin' with a memory that he can't drown. Lord it ain't sunk in that she ain't comin' home. Oh, a man holdin' on to a woman lettin' go."_ He'd written this song while he was in rehab. It was obviously about Rayna.

It took everything that Rayna had in her to stay present in her conversation with Teddy. She so badly wanted to look over at Deacon, but she kept herself from it.

" _His heart is tellin' him to hang on for dear life. Cause deep down he knows she's lettin' go for good this time."_ He felt like maybe he was holding on to something that was already gone.

" _There's a daddy walkin' his daughter down the aisle fightin' back tears and forcin' a smile. Oh, for twenty-two years he's watched her grow. A man holdin' on to a woman lettin' go."_ He poured all of his feelings into this song.

" _In the hill valley home there's a feeble old man and he's holdin' on to a fragile old hand. And the angels comin' to carry her home. Now, he's a man holdin' on to a woman lettin' go. His heart is tellin' him to hang on for dear life. Cause deep down he knows she's lettin' go for good this time. Two young lovers with their bodies on fire achin' to swim that river of desire. Leavin' innocence there on the bank by their clothes. Oh a man holdin' on to a woman lettin' go. A man holdin' on to a woman, a woman lettin' go."_ He closed his eyes and finished softly. He didn't know it, but that song described Teddy's relationship with Rayna more than it did his.

Teddy checked his watch. "I need to get going I have an early morning. Are you ready?"

"Teddy, you can go on without me. I assure you that I know plenty of people here tonight and I can get a ride from one of them. If not I can always call my sister or Bucky to come pick me up." Rayna smiled at him.

"I had a nice time tonight." Teddy kissed her cheek.

"I did too." Rayna kept the smile plastered on her face. She waited until Teddy left and she moved closer to the stage where she could catch Deacon's eye.

Deacon happened to look up and see her standing there. He acknowledged her with a nod of his head. He played through the rest of his set before he went over to her. "Hey, what are you doin' here? I didn't tell you I was playin' tonight in case I sucked or somethin'."

"You definitely didn't suck. I was actually on one of my forced dates with Teddy. I hope it'll be my last. He just can't seem to take the hint." Rayna rolled his eyes.

"You wanna get out of here and take a walk?" Deacon asked her.

"I'd love that. I'd love that a lot as a matter of fact." Rayna looped her arm through his.

Deacon grabbed his guitar case and put it in the backseat of his truck. They walked together until they reach the pedestrian bridge. "I always did love the view up here at night."

"Me too," Rayna leaned against the railing.

Deacon had an internal debate with himself before he made up his mind. If she could make rash decisions so could he. He dropped down to one knee and took her hand in his. "Baby, I love you so much, marry me. I know I ain't got no ring to give you. I bought one though I just don't know what I did with it. I'll get you another one though. If you can't say yes I'll understand, but I will ask again. I want our baby to be born to parents that are married and I don't want your image to suffer 'cause of me. Let's face it if I hadn't screwed up you woulda told me and we woulda been married months ago." He just poured his heart out to her. The worst she could do was say no.

Rayna closed her eyes and fought back her tears. She was happy, sad, and scared. Could she do this with him? Could she trust him to stay sober? What was to say that all the hard work he'd done wouldn't be for nothing? She put her free hand on her belly and that's when she knew what she wanted her answer to be and what it had to be for all of their sakes. She pulled her hand away from him and took a diamond band off the third finger on her right hand. "You're gonna need that. Now ask me again." She handed the ring to him.

Deacon ran his fingers over the ring and somehow he knew this was the one he had bought for her. "Rayna Alisia Jaymes, will you marry me?" He slipped the ring on her finger.

"Yes, Deacon John Claybourne, I would love to marry you." Rayna put her hands on his cheeks and bent down to kiss his lips softly.

"I didn't think you'd say yes." Deacon laughed when she broke the kiss.

"For a minute there I didn't think I'd say yes either." Rayna pulled him to his feet and hugged him tight.

"I take it that I proposed to you the night we made this baby and I don't remember that either." Deacon hugged her a little tighter.

"You did, but this time was so much better." Rayna kissed him again to let him know it was ok.

"I promise you that I am gonna spend the rest of our lives together bein' the man that you deserve." Deacon swore to her.

"I know you will. You don't have another choice. We want this baby to have the best of everything and that includes two loving parents who are married. You work your steps and I'll help you as much as I can. If you feel yourself slipping you tell me and I will be there for you. You just have to let me in." She laid her head on his shoulder.

"It's a promise baby." He kissed the top of her head.

"You know I wanna get married before I really start showing right?" Rayna asked him.

"I kinda figured on that." Deacon replied.

"So, we will be getting married as soon as possible. I just need to pick out a dress that will fit me and you will need a suit. But before any of that I'm gonna have to talk to my sister and my father. They are not gonna be happy about this." Rayna groaned.

"They don't have to be happy 'bout it they just have to respect your choices." Deacon reasoned with her.

"That brings us to one more thing. I'm not having sex with you again until we are married." Rayna grinned at him.

"Ok, I suppose I can live with that." Deacon agreed in mock resignation.

* * *

"Rayna, look at you. You are positively glowing." Lamar stood up and pulled out a chair for his daughter.

"Hi, daddy," Rayna gave him a tight smile. She'd asked to meet with him and her sister at the country club because they would both be on their best behavior out in public.

"Daddy, I'd say that your good mood is probably gonna go south judging from the look on her face." Tandy took a sip of her martini.

Lamar gave his oldest a reproachful look. "Rayna, what is it that you had to tell us? I know that the country club isn't your scene."

"Daddy, I'm getting married. I came to ask you to arrange something as quickly as humanly possible." Rayna replied.

"I have the justice of the peace on standby the only thing you need is a location." Lamar assured her. "It's about time that you settled down with a nice boy like Teddy Conrad." He added.

"Daddy, please don't be so dense. Do you think she would have arranged to meet us here if she had chosen Teddy?" Tandy snorted.

"I'm marrying Deacon neither of you has to like it that is just the way that things are gonna be. He's the father of my child and he is the man that I want to spend the rest of my life with. If neither of you can accept that then you don't have to be in my life or in this baby's life. I won't have my husband and the father of my child talked down to or treated like dirt though." Rayna laid down the law.

"I already know it would be a waste of my breath to try to talk you out of this foolishness. The last time I gave you an ultimatum where he was involved you barely spoke to me for five years. Just make sure that you get an ironclad prenup in case things don't turn out as rosy as you hope they will." Lamar drained his glass of scotch in one gulp.

"I love him and he loves me. It's just somethin' that you're gonna have to deal with." Rayna shrugged her shoulders.

"I've already learned to live with it. I just go along for the ride." Tandy more or less jumped on board.

"There's just one more thing. You two are gonna have to play nice with him sooner rather than later." Rayna warned them.

Deacon walked in wearing a suit and tie. "Sorry 'bout that I had to find a place to park. I hope I didn't keep you waitin' long." He sat down next to Rayna.

"Deacon, you're partially responsible for giving me my first grandchild, so for now I will tolerate you. You have the potential to gain ground in my good books, but if you hurt my daughter or my grandchild I can promise you that they will never find your body." Lamar leveled him with a cold stare.

"I can respect that. I can tolerate you in return." Deacon glared back at him.

"Rayna, let me see the ring." Tandy said.

Rayna put her hand in her sister's and let her inspect her engagement ring. "That's it."

"He did good." Tandy observed. She was just trying to break up the fight that was bound to start between Lamar and Deacon.

" _Thank you,"_ Rayna mouthed to her silently. They could pull off one lunch without any bloodshed.

* * *

A/N: Here's the next chapter. I hope you guys enjoyed it. Until next time please review.


	4. Chapter 4

A/N: Thanks to all my reviewers.

* * *

Chapter 4

"Momma, I'm glad to see that you brought Scarlett with you. I was also hopin' for my sister, but I guess that was askin' a little much on my part." Deacon was in the process of picking his mother and his niece up from the airport. He was getting married in less than six hours. Between Tandy and Lamar they had been able to pull a wedding together in a week.

"Your sister wanted to be here, but she couldn't afford to take the time off work on such short notice." June Claybourne was a slim, trim blonde woman.

"I understand that she has to work. I wouldn't want her to mess her job up or anythin' like that. Plus, I know that she isn't crazy 'bout Ray." Deacon kissed her cheek.

"Uncle Deacon!" Scarlett launched herself into his arms.

Deacon caught the little girl and spun her around. "There's my favorite niece, Scarlett." He gave her a wet kiss on her cheek.

"I'm you're only niece, silly." Scarlett giggled.

"Well, that makes you my favorite." Deacon reasoned with her. He sat her down on her feet. "Let's go get your bags. I think that Aunt Ray has big plans for you." He walked with them over to the baggage claim and got their bags. He loaded them up in his truck and drove them over to Rayna's apartment.

Deacon walked them up and knocked on the door. "I was just droppin' momma and Scarlett off."

"Ok, you got them here in one piece and you can go now. It's bad luck to see the bride before the wedding." Tandy shooed him away.

"I can't even say hi to her?" Deacon sounded outraged.

"Yeah, you can say hi to her when she walks down the aisle to you." Tandy retorted.

"Ok, I'm leavin'. Momma, Scarlett, Tandy is gonna take real good care of ya'll." Deacon smiled at them before he left.

"Come on in, Rayna is just in the bedroom throwing some clothes on." Tandy ushered June and Scarlett into the apartment. "Rayna, you've got company."

Rayna came out of her bedroom dressed in a pair of sweats and a t-shirt. "Scarlett, look at how big you are. You've grown so much since the last time I saw you." She stooped down to hug the little girl.

"Hi, Aunt Ray." Scarlett hugged her back.

"Rayna," June looked at her mid-section and then back up to her face.

"Deacon said he wasn't gonna tell you that he was gonna see if you noticed. I hope you're not very mad at us." Rayna really put a lot of stock in what June thought. Deacon's mother was one of the most genuinely sweet people she had ever met. She was kind to a fault and she just adored her.

"How on earth could I be mad at you two? I think it's wonderful. Truthfully with as long as you two have lived together I expected it to happen before now." June smiled widely.

"We had a couple of near misses, but this is the one that took." Rayna chuckled lightly.

"The only thing that matters is you two are makin' things right and you're gettin' married." June reassured her.

Rayna smiled back at her. "Hey, Scarlett, can you keep a secret?"

"I sure can. What is it, Aunt Ray?" Scarlett asked eagerly.

Rayna took her hand and put it on her almost non-existent bump. "You're gonna be a big cousin. Uncle Deacon and I are havin' a baby."

"Really?" Scarlett's little eyes got big.

Rayna had to laugh at her expression. "Really. So, I've got my glam squad comin' in and they are gonna treat you just like a little princess. You remember them from that time you were out on the road with me and Uncle Deacon don't you?"

Scarlett nodded her head. "I do,"

"Since today is a special day they are gonna make you up even prettier than you already are." Rayna rubbed her nose against hers. "I'll tell you what if you go sit at my vanity and look around there is an extra special box in there with your name on it. Why don't you go find it?"

"Ok," Scarlett scampered off to Rayna's bedroom.

"Tandy, go help Scarlett please. I need to have a word alone with June." Rayna arched her eyebrow at her sister.

"Whatever you want today is your day after all." Tandy fixed a fake smile on her face.

"She's not too keen on you marryin' my boy is she?" June observed.

"Tandy is like that with everyone that was born into a lower tax bracket than her." Rayna rolled her eyes. "You haven't asked me the obvious question yet and I thought I'd give you the opportunity to."

"Why are you and Deacon not livin' together?" June asked her.

"I tried to break things off with Deacon. I was even engaged to another man for a little while. His drinking got really bad, June. I didn't know what to do. Truthfully if he hadn't gone to rehab and done so well this last time there's a good chance that I wouldn't have told him about this baby. Actually, that's not true. I told him even before I knew that he was doin' so well. I wouldn't have let him around this baby unsupervised if he hadn't got his act together. He's on his very last chance this time has to be the time that sticks or I can't stick by him." Rayna answered her.

"I don't blame you at all. You're gonna be a momma now and that baby has to come first. You have to protect him or her at all costs even if it is from their daddy. I didn't do that and that's why my boy is fightin' his daddy's demons. I don't blame you for havin' the thought of movin' on from him or of not tellin' him, but I'm glad that you did. I think he'll surprise you at how much he can change." June replied.

"Thank you for bein' so understandin'. I hope you don't mind, but when Deacon got your dress size from you I took the liberty of picking out a dress for you." Rayna changed the subject.

"You didn't have to do that." June blushed slightly.

"I didn't have to, but I wanted to. I want you to know that you and Scarlett, and Bev are never gonna have to want for anything ever again. If Deacon and I have it then it's yours too. And don't think of it as charity I wouldn't insult you that way. Deacon and I want to take care of our family. We even hope that you will consider moving to Nashville so you can be a big part of our lives." Rayna told her.

"I'll have to think 'bout it. I'm not sure Scarlett would mind all that much, but I don't know 'bout Bev. It has to be all three of us or none of us. I can't leave Bev alone with Scarlett she needs someone to take care of her." June replied a little unsure.

"I completely understand. The offer is there any time that you want it, it has no expiration date." Rayna smiled at her.

Tandy walked back in the room with Scarlett at that moment. "Ok, ladies what do you think?" She held Scarlett's hair back so she could show off the diamond accented star necklace around her neck.

"I think it's almost as beautiful as Miss Scarlett there." Rayna responded.

"It looks perfect. Scarlett, what do you say?" June looked at her granddaughter expectantly.

"Thank you, Aunt Ray." Scarlett chirped happily.

"Uncle Deacon helped pick it out. He said it looked just like something that our little bug needed." Rayna tickled her belly.

"Rayna, your glam squad is gonna be here in probably a half hour you need to eat." Tandy interrupted.

"Babe, I need somethin' light. Anythin' that I eat these days has a tendency to come up." Rayna pointed out to her.

"You just go on and do what you need to do. I will go into the kitchen and make you somethin'." June volunteered.

"June, I can't ask you to do that." Rayna protested.

"Nonsense, you ain't askin' me I'm volunteerin'. Now, I won't hear any arguments 'bout it. You're almost one of mine and I take care of my babies. You are just gonna have to get used to that." June went into the kitchen before Rayna could put up any further protest. She opened up the cabinets and started rummaging around for something that fit the bill of what Rayna needed.

* * *

"Look at how handsome my baby boy is today." June fussed over Deacon as he stood at the altar.

"Momma, please." Deacon fixed his tie and his hair back the way he had it before June had messed with them.

"What?" June asked innocently.

"Nothin'," Deacon shook his head. He fidgeted around.

"Are you nervous?" June asked even though she already knew the answer to that question.

"Yeah, I'm nervous. She already was almost done with me once. I ain't so sure that she ain't gonna change her mind now. I'm a recoverin' alcoholic, momma. Why would she wanna hitch her wagon to that baggage for the rest of her life?" Deacon tried to make her see reason.

"Probably 'cause she loves you and 'cause she's carryin' your baby." June suggested to him.

"I see you figured that mystery out by just one look." Deacon smiled. He was pretty proud of himself when it came to that.

"Yeah I did. I think it's wonderful by the way not that you need my blessin'." June kissed his cheek.

"Thanks, momma." Deacon replied.

"Say, Deacon, it's just about time." His best friend Vince told him. He was acting as Deacon's best man. He'd been with him and Rayna through thick and thin.

"Momma, let me take you to your seat." Deacon looped his arm through June's and led her to her seat. He kissed her cheek before he walked back to the altar.

"You still got time to run if you wanna." Vince whispered to him just as the music started to play.

"Shut up, Vinny, I ain't goin' nowhere. I've been waitin' for this my whole life." Deacon whispered back to him.

One of Rayna's close female friends and Tandy walked down the aisle and took their places opposite Riff and Vince. Deacon had gotten Riff to be a groomsman at the last second. Scarlett walked down the aisle and threw flower petals before taking her seat next to June. Finally, Rayna came down the aisle on her father's arm.

Deacon went weak in the knees when he saw her. She was a vision in that white dress. He couldn't even tell from looking at her that she was pregnant. All he knew was she was the most beautiful woman that he had ever laid eyes on.

Lamar made a big show of putting Rayna's hand in Deacon's and he gave him a look before he stepped off to the side to await his cue.

Rayna shot Deacon a thousand watt smile. "Hi, handsome." She whispered to him.

"Hey, beautiful," Deacon whispered back his voice trembling.

"Dearly beloved, we are gathered here to witness the union of this man and this woman in holy matrimony. If there are any among us that know of any reason these two should not be wed speak now or forever hold your peace." The justice of the peace paused to allow for any objections, but there were none. "I ask now who gives this woman to this man?"

"Her sister and I do." Lamar answered before he took his seat.

"Deacon, do you take this woman to love, honor, cherish, and obey. In sickness and in health in happiness and wealth for better or for worse forsaking all others 'til death do you part?" He asked.

"I do," Deacon answered his voice still shaking.

"Rayna, do you take this man to love, honor, cherish, and obey. In sickness and in health in happiness and wealth for better or for worse forsaking all other 'til death do you part?" He asked Rayna the same question.

"I do," Rayna answered and squeezed Deacon's hand.

"Now, the bride and groom have chosen to recite their own vows to each other. Deacon it's your turn." He went on.

"Ray, I don't know what to say. Only that you've loved me better than I've deserved at times. You've even loved me when I've made it extremely difficult. I promise that I will spend the rest of our lives provin' to you that you were right to love me so well. Every story I have worth tellin' starts with the words Rayna and I. My life began the night I met you and I've loved you since the first time I laid eyes on you. I will love you 'til the last beat of my heart and much longer than that." Deacon just kind of shot from the hip, but he meant every word.

"Now, Rayna, recite your vows to Deacon." He instructed.

"Deacon, I've loved you since the first time I saw you. The first time I heard your laugh and the first note I heard you play on a guitar. I've always loved you and that has never not been true. I see you for the truly great man you are even when you can't see him in yourself. You're all I've known since I was sixteen and you're the only man that I want for the rest of my life. The words to describe how much I love you haven't been invented. Just know that I will love you more and more with every passing day." Rayna recited her vows.

"May I have the rings?" The justice of the peace asked.

Vince got a panicked look on his face and patted down his pockets. "No one told me I was supposed to have the rings."

Rayna and Deacon both gave him a look.

Vince relaxed and smiled an easy smile. "I've got them right here, smile you two love birds." He took the rings out of his pocket and handed them to the JP.

The justice of the peace handed a ring to each of them.

Deacon took Rayna's hand in his and slipped the ring on her finger. "Rayna, wear this ring as a reminder that together we are stronger and can handle anythin' that's put in front of us as long as we are together. No matter what comes I will always be there by your side."

Rayna took hold of Deacon's left hand and placed his ring on his finger. "Deacon, this ring is a symbol of my devotion to you. When you look at it remember all that we've been through together to get to this point and know that I rather fight with you than kiss anyone else."

"By the power vested in me by the state of Tennessee I now pronounce you husband and wife. Son, you may kiss your bride." The justice of the peace announced.

Deacon took Rayna into his arms and dipped her back as he kissed her.

She smiled up at him her eyes full of laughter when they finally broke apart.

"Ladies and gentleman it's my pleasure to present for the first time Mr. and Mrs. Deacon John Claybourne." He announced.

* * *

"Well, Deacon, you finally finished what you started a decade ago. She's all yours now." Tandy commented to him at the reception.

"I can't imagine that you're none too happy 'bout it either." Deacon retorted.

"I've made my peace with it. She was gonna marry you with or without my blessing. You have it in you to be a decent person. I got the chance to talk to your mother and I know that you have those traits. I've seen you with your niece and let's just say I understand what Rayna sees in you now. That being said if you hurt my sister again I will make you sorry." Tandy warned him.

"I suppose that's fair enough." Deacon nodded his head thoughtfully.

"Oh and if it makes any difference to you. I'm glad that she didn't take my advice and she told you the truth. Look at the smile on her face that's all I've ever wanted is her happiness." Tandy declared a truce with him.

"That's the only thing I want too." Deacon agreed with her.

 **XXXXXXXXXX**

"Ladies and gentlemen, let's welcome to the dance floor for their first dance as husband and wife Mr. and Mrs. Claybourne." The DJ announced.

Deacon led Rayna out to the dancefloor. "I really like the way that sounds, Mrs. Claybourne." He wrapped his arms around her waist.

Rayna wrapped her arms around his neck and laughed. "That sounds really nice. I can be Mrs. Claybourne all you want behind closed doors, but to the world I'm still Rayna Jaymes."

"That's fair enough, baby. I only want you to be Mrs. Claybourne for me anyway." Deacon held her close to him as they swayed along to the music.

"The little one that's in between us now will be Claybourne enough for me." Rayna smiled.

"That's right Baby Claybourne has got that covered." Deacon smiled back at her. He kissed her as the song ended.

 **XXXXXXXXXX**

Rayna danced with her father next. "Thank you for behaving yourself today, daddy. You don't know how much it means to me to have the two men I love the most in the world getting along."

"I'm just glad that you wanted me to be here and that you wanted me to give you away. I know I haven't always shown it the way that I should, but I just want you to be happy." Lamar replied.

"I know that you care in your own way, daddy. I've always known that. You just don't understand me and that's ok. You don't have to completely understand someone to love them." Rayna placed a kiss on his cheek.

 **XXXXXXXXXX**

"I've never seen you look this happy before, my boy." June observed as she and Deacon danced.

"I'm not sure that I've ever been this happy before, momma." Deacon laughed softly.

"Well, it looks good on you." June rubbed his cheek gently.

"This is all I've ever wanted and then some. I finally have a chance to make things right. I know that you did the best you could for Bev and me, but that was no way for anyone to live. It wasn't your fault though. I promise you that your grandchild is gonna have it better than that. I'm not my father and I don't ever intend to be." Deacon promised her.

 **XXXXXXXXXX**

"Bug, may I have this dance?" Deacon bowed to Scarlett and extended his hand.

"Yes you can, Uncle Deacon." Scarlett took his hand.

Deacon led her out to the dance floor and twirled her around a few times. "You look so pretty today, Bug."

"You look handsome, Uncle Deac." Scarlett giggled.

"I do clean up nicely when I have to." Deacon laughed with her.

"I love you, Uncle Deac." Scarlett stood on her tiptoes and kissed his nose.

Deacon picked her up in his arms and kissed her cheek before he spun around a couple times.

 **XXXXXXXXXX**

"Deacon, I'm warnin' you not to do with that cake what I think you're gonna do with it." Rayna warned him when they cut the cake.

Deacon grinned back at her. "I have no idea what you're talkin' 'bout."

"Yeah, I know better than to trust you." Rayna waved Scarlett over and whispered something in her ear. "She can keep us both honest."

Scarlett fed a both Rayna and Deacon a piece of cake, but she smashed the cake in Deacon's face.

"Oh, I see how it's gonna be." Deacon grabbed Rayna and kissed her and then he kissed Scarlett's cheek getting them both just as messy as he was in the process.

"You did not just mess my makeup up after I had to sit for that long for them to do." Rayna said in mock indignation.

"You started it, baby." Deacon laughed.

"Come here, we don't waste cake in this family." Rayna pulled him to her and kissed him deeply.

* * *

Before Rayna and Deacon left the reception they changed clothes. They both now wore jeans and t-shirts with coats. They drove up to the cabin holding hands the whole way. He carried her over the threshold and sat her on the couch. He'd had to come up and cleanup the aftermath of his last drunken rampage. He hadn't wanted her to see the place like that.

He took the time to build a fire in the fireplace. The smile never once left his handsome face. He turned around to just study his wife for a moment. That made him smile even wider.

"What's that smile for?" Rayna asked him.

"Thank you for choosin' me, Ray. I can't imagine not bein' here in this moment right now." Deacon replied.

"I can't imagine this moment with anyone, but you. It was never a choice; baby, it was a need." Rayna told him.

"God, I love you, woman." Deacon got on the couch with her and kissed her. That one kiss turned into a full blown make out session and that make out session led to them both shedding their clothes.

"I love you too, man." Rayna wrapped her legs around his waist.

Deacon took that as his signal and he slid into her slowly. They both moaned out in pleasure.

Rayna leaned up and kissed him deeply as she acclimated to the girth of his member. It hadn't been that long since they'd had sex, but still it felt like the first time.

Deacon started to pump his hips slowly wanting to savor the moment. This was the first time that he had made love to his wife and he wanted to make it last.

She raked her nails lightly up and down his back and thrusted her hips in time with his. Her lips moved from his mouth to his jawline. She knew the effect that had on him. She could play his body just as well as he could play hers.

He groaned deep in his throat and picked up the pace of his thrusts. She drove him crazy in the most wonderful and beautiful ways.

She threaded her fingers through his hair and clenched her walls around him. "I love you." She whispered breathily in his ear.

"I love you too." His voice was husky in her ear.

They continued at the pace they were going for a good while before they both felt that familiar tingle telling them that they were close to the edge. They came together with one long moan. Afterwards they lay there naked in each other's arms kissing and cuddling.

"Wow, that was wow, Ray." Deacon finally broke the silence.

"That was even better than I remembered it. And I remember it being damn good." Rayna giggled against his neck.

"That was the first time I've ever made love to my wife." His voice took on a dreamy quality as he said the words.

"And that was the first time I've ever made love to my husband." She ran her hand across the stubble on his jaw.

"I think it can only get better from here." He kissed her nose.

"I know it'll only get better. I can't wait to grow old with you." That was all she had ever wanted was to grow old with him by her side.

"We have plenty of time for that later. Right now I can't wait to raise this baby with you. You are gonna be the most amazin' momma." He replied. He could already see her with their baby in her arms.

"Don't count yourself out, Deacon. I've seen you with Scarlett. You are gonna make an amazin' daddy. Any child we have will be extremely lucky to have you." She hated it that he couldn't see just how great he was. She supposed that's why he needed her there to show him.

"I'm gonna do my best. I promise you that. I know that I didn't have the best role model, but there ain't no law that says I gotta be him." He swore to her.

"You're already better than he is. It takes a real man to change his ways when he knows that he's wrong. From what you've told me about your father he never even tried to change." She reassured him.

"What did I do that was right enough to deserve you?" He looked at her with an arched eyebrow.

"I wonder the same thing when it comes to you. I guess there's no rhyme or reason to it. We were hooked on each other the moment we met and now we have the rest of our lives together." She kissed him.

"I really like the sound of that, baby. I'm gonna be right there by your side for every part of it the good and the bad." He promised her and then he kissed her again. That led them right to another round of lovemaking. They didn't even bother to try to make it to the bedroom that night. They were content right where they were.

* * *

A/N: Here is the next chapter. As you can see I changed some things around. Vince is still alive and that's because I have plans for him. Deacon needs a guy friend. Until next time please review.


	5. Chapter 5

A/N: Thanks to all my reviewers.

* * *

Chapter 5

Rayna woke up to a phone ringing. She grabbed the phone off the nightstand without bothering to see who it was. "Hello?" She answered groggily.

"Rayna? I'm sorry I didn't mean to wake you." June's voice came from the other end of the line.

"June? It's fine we haven't been in bed that long. We are musicians we are used to late hours. Is everything ok?" Rayna sat up and clutched the sheet to her chest. She and Deacon were both stark naked. They hadn't so much gone to bed as they had fallen asleep after sex.

"Physically everyone is still in one piece, but I need to talk to my son. It's 'bout Beverly." June replied.

"Hold on a minute, June. I'll wake him up for you." Rayna sat the phone down and nudged Deacon. "Deacon,"

Deacon mumbled in his sleep and started snoring.

"Deacon," Rayna shoved him.

"What the hell is wrong with you?" Deacon opened his eyes.

"Your momma is on the phone she needs to talk to you about your sister." Rayna handed him the phone.

"Hey, momma, what's goin' on?" Deacon spoke into the phone sleepily.

"Sweetie, I really hate to bother you with this, but your sister has had a complete mental breakdown. She locked poor Scarlett in a closet and she was just a mad woman. I had to call the police on her. I didn't know what else to do." June informed him.

"What do you need from me?" Deacon asked her.

"It would be really great if you could come here." June told him.

"Whatever you need I'm gettin' up right now. I'll be there as soon as I can." Deacon sat up on the edge of the bed.

"I love you, sweet boy, be safe." June said.

"I love you too, momma." Deacon hung up the phone.

"What's going on, babe?" Rayna asked him.

"Beverly had a breakdown and apparently she's been abusin' Scarlett. I have to go to Natchez." Deacon was already getting dressed.

"I'm coming with you." Rayna got up and started putting clothes on.

"Babe, you ain't gotta do that. I don't expect you to waltz right into the middle of my family drama." Deacon hated dragging her into the mess that his family was.

"They are my family now too. If you're going the baby and I are going too." Rayna put her foot down.

"Ok, I know I can't stop you anyway." Deacon relented.

"Good boy, baby. I'll call Buck and have him arrange for a private jet." Rayna picked up the phone and called Bucky.

Several hours later Rayna and Deacon walked into the hospital in Natchez, Mississippi. They found June standing outside a private waiting area with a police officer.

"Momma, what's happenin'? Where's Scarlett?" Deacon questioned.

June rushed to her son and hugged him before letting go and hugging her daughter-in-law. "Thank you both for comin' so quickly. Rayna, you didn't have to come at all. You and that baby both need your rest."

"June, you're family. I can't think of any other place I should be right now." Rayna gave her a smile.

"Momma, where is my niece?" Deacon asked again.

"The police are talkin' to her right now. Apparently this is far from the first time that Bev has done somethin' to her. They dug 'round in her medical records and she has a few suspicious injuries. I don't know how I missed this and I don't know how Beverly could do that after what your father did." June put her head in her hands.

"When can we see her?" Deacon went on.

"I don't know there are talks of puttin' her in a foster home. Doug as you know is gone and Bev is obviously the one who has been doin' this to her. They don't wanna leave her with me because I'm still married to your father who is barely ever home." June explained.

"That's not happening on my watch." Deacon stated firmly.

"Babe, calm down. It's not gonna help matters any if you lose your temper." Rayna rubbed his arm.

"Ray, they can't put that little girl in foster care where anythin' could happen to her." Deacon stressed.

"Deacon, I will call a lawyer and get them on this. We are not gonna lose her without a fight. Beverly and June are not the only options other than foster care. She has us. We can show that we can provide a good life for her." Rayna assured him.

"You said we." Deacon said with a goofy grin on his face.

"Yes we. She is our niece. We aren't gonna let her go into the system. My daddy has the best lawyers." Rayna reminded him.

"Thank you, babe." Deacon sounded relieved.

"Just let me go make a call." Rayna walked off to make a phone call.

"That girl gets things done don't she?" June smiled softly.

"She does. She's taken care of my ass for years that's for sure." Deacon smiled proudly.

"This is such a mess, I'm so sorry." June apologized.

"Momma, we are family that's what I'm here for. Right now you just worry 'bout takin' care of your baby and I will take care of baby girl for as long as I have to even if that means until she's an adult." Deacon swore to her.

* * *

Rayna's lawyer was able to get a custody hearing for them later in the morning.

"When at all possible we like to place minor children with a family member to keep them from going into the system. From what I've seen you two are more than capable of caring for this child and you understand what you are undertaking. I want you two to understand that this could very well end up being permanent. Is that something you're both ok with?" The judge asked them.

"Yes, Your Honor." Deacon answered.

"Your Honor, this little girl is our niece. We will gladly keep her for as long as we have to even if that means until she's in college." Rayna gave her answer.

The judge smiled at them. "In that case I order minor child Scarlett O'Connor be remanded to the custody of Rayna and Deacon Claybourne until such time as a court determines otherwise or until she reaches her eighteenth birthday. Court is adjourned." He banged his gavel.

"Ray," Deacon looked at his wife.

"Don't you dare thank me. She deserves a better life." Rayna kissed him to shut him up.

Scarlett sat outside the courtroom in a little white dress next to a social worker.

"Deacon, I'll let you explain this to her while I go get the car." Rayna told him.

"Uncle Deacon!" Scarlett exclaimed.

"Bug, let's sit on down here a minute and have a talk." Deacon sat down on the bench and pulled her onto his lap.

"Ok, Uncle Deac." Scarlett agreed.

"So, you are gonna come stay with me and Aunt Ray for a while. You're gonna go to this nice new school and make lots of new friends. Think of it as an adventure." Deacon stroked her hair gently.

"But, Uncle Deac, I need to stay with mawmaw and momma. They both need my help." Scarlett sounded distraught.

"I don't want you to worry about mawmaw and momma, sweet pea. They are gonna be just fine. They are the adults it's their job to take care of you not the other way around. I promise you that I will make sure they are always ok." Deacon swore to her. He couldn't help being a little pissed off at his mother and his sister for putting this poor girl through that. Really is wasn't on his mother she did the best she could. He knew that she was the one who raised Scarlett. Beverly was too flighty to really settle down and be a mother.

"Ok, Uncle Deac." Scarlett nodded her little head.

"Aunt Ray is waitin' out front with the car. We already picked up your favorite stuff from the house. I think Aunt Ray has a surprise for you when we get back to Nashville. You ready to go home?" Deacon asked her.

"Let's go home, Uncle Deac." Scarlett agreed.

Deacon scooped her up into his arms and rubbed her back.

The social worker stared at Deacon in awe of how good he was with Scarlett. "You're a fine man, Mr. Claybourne. There need to be more like you."

"Thank you, ma'am." Deacon blushed.

"Scarlett, I'm gonna leave you with your uncle now, but you're in good hands." She told the little girl.

"Havin' second thoughts 'bout marryin' me yet?" Deacon whispered to Rayna as he held her hand on the plane ride home.

"Not at all. This isn't the first time we've had her. The only difference is this time we don't have to give her back just because your sister decides that she's better and can handle her. This time she has to prove it to a court. Your momma does the best she can, but she can't take this all on by herself." Rayna leaned over and kissed him.

"I really love you. You're so good with her and to her and you always have been." Deacon smiled against her lips.

"She makes it easy. She's even more loveable than her uncle. And you're pretty damn loveable even when you make me want to be mad at you." Rayna teased him.

"I've given you a lot to be mad at and I really appreciate that you never gave up on me even when I made that your only option." Deacon ran his hand gently over her cheek.

"Have I told you lately how proud I am of you? This is the best that you've ever done with your sobriety." Rayna smiled at him.

"If this chaotic first month of marriage hasn't driven me to drinkin' I think I'm in the clear. But that doesn't mean I'm gonna slack off on my meetings or anythin' like that. I still have another couple weeks to go of my outpatient counselin'." Deacon reminded her.

"I know that this isn't easy for you, but it means everythin' to me that you're doin' it for us, so we can be a family." Rayna pecked his lips again.

"Ya'll are my reason for livin'. There ain't no use in me bein' alive if I can't have my family." Deacon replied. "Look at how good she's bein'." He gestured to Scarlett with his eyes.

Scarlett was sitting in her seat listening to music.

"I get the feeling that no one, but us and June has ever really given a damn about her. She's a great kid." Rayna leaned against him.

"She really is. And I think that carin' for her full time was too much to put on momma. She was doin' it, but it was takin' a toll. We're gonna make sure that she has a good life. I don't see my sister even bein' in a position to take care of her. She got the mental health problems that run in the family and I got the alcoholic gene." Deacon put his arm around her.

"If she gets better great and if not that's ok too. From here on out that little girl isn't gonna know anything, but happiness and she's gonna get to be a child." Rayna promised him.

"I like the sound of that." Deacon rested his head on top of hers.

* * *

"Hey, Bug, how was your first night with us?" Rayna greeted Scarlett the next morning.

"It was good. Are you sure that Uncle Deac didn't mind sleepin' on the couch?" Scarlett asked timidly.

"He didn't mind at all. Your Uncle Deac can sleep anywhere. A couch is better than some of the places we slept when we first started touring." Rayna assured her. Deacon was still sound asleep on the couch so he obviously didn't mind it at all.

"I just don't wanna be any trouble." Scarlett worried with her bottom lip.

"Sweetie, you're not any trouble at all. You are here because Uncle Deac and I both want you here. You never have to worry about being in the way. We love you so much." Rayna pulled her into a hug.

"I love you too, Aunt Ray." Scarlett hugged her back as best she could with her baby belly in the way.

"You should go get dressed you and I have plans today. We are gonna go to breakfast and then we are going to the mall." Rayna told her.

"What about Uncle Deac?" Scarlett asked.

"Uncle Deac has plans of his own today. I want you to be my date today he's my date every day for the rest of my life." Rayna told her.

"If you're sure." Scarlett relented.

"I'm sure. And Aunt Tandy might join us today if that's ok with you." Rayna laughed lightly.

"That fine with me." Scarlett agreed. She skipped off to go get dressed.

Rayna went over to the couch and nudged Deacon awake. "You gotta get up. You have things to do today."

"I'm up, I'm up." Deacon grumbled.

"Coffee is in the pot. You should get up and get dressed." Rayna kissed him.

Deacon stood up and stretched his muscles. "I'm workin' on it, Ray. Please pour me some coffee in the travel mug." He mumbled as he walked into the bathroom.

While Scarlett and Deacon were both getting dressed there was a knock on the door. Rayna opened the door and her smile faded a little when she saw Vince.

"Vince," There was a little bit of ice in her voice.

"Hey, Ray." Vince walked in like he owned the place.

"You and I need to talk." Rayna told him lowly.

"Sure, what do you need?" Vince asked.

"I need you to be on your best behavior around Deacon. He's doing great with his sobriety and I don't want you to do anything to derail that. We have a baby on the way he can't slip up again. I love you like the brother I never had and you know that. But if it comes down to protecting my husband or having you in our lives I'm gonna choose him. You're a worse drunk than he ever dared to be. I need to know that you can be his friend without drinking involved." Rayna laid down the law.

"Ray, I'm not gonna do anythin' to throw him off track. I wouldn't wanna mess up the good thing that he's got goin'. I stood up for ya'll at your weddin' I want to see you succeed. I want him to be happy. I know that things can't be the way they used to be." Vince replied.

"Good, I'm glad we have an understanding." Rayna hugged him. He was family to her and Deacon, but she couldn't have him leading her husband astray. "Get your act together I miss having my drummer."

"I'm doin' my best, Ray." Vince assured her.

"You should go to the rehab Deacon just got out of. It worked really well for him." Rayna suggested.

"I don't know. I don't think I'm the kinda guy that stuff works for." Vince shrugged his shoulders.

"Just think about it. I'll even send you. That offer is on the table whenever you want it. I want this baby to know their Uncle Vince." Rayna replied.

"Hey, Vinny, you're actually here on time. We should probably get goin'." Deacon walked back into the living room.

"Yeah, let's get a move on, Deac." Vince agreed with him.

* * *

"Why are you looking at me like that, Tandy?" Rayna and Tandy were waiting on Scarlett to try on some outfits.

"I don't know why I could possibly be looking at you this way." Tandy rolled her eyes.

"Is this about Scarlett?" Rayna asked her.

"No way, I don't know how you could come to that conclusion." Tandy quipped.

"She's a little girl that had nowhere else to go. I wasn't gonna let her go into the system and neither was Deacon for that matter. As a matter of fact, I know that he would have fought with everything that he had in him to keep it from happening. Believe it or not he really loves her and he just wants the best for her." Rayna replied.

"I know all of that. I just want to make sure that you're not getting in over your head. From what you've said his sister doesn't even like you all that much. But I'm sure that that won't stop you from paying for whatever type of care she needs." Tandy raised a pretty valid point.

"That's not Scarlett's fault at all. I adore that little girl and so does he. You don't like Deacon all that much, but that wouldn't stop him from doing something for you if you needed it." Rayna countered.

"Babe, I'm not trying to fight with you. It's just that being a newlywed is hard enough. You two have a baby on the way and now you have his niece to take care of. I'm worried about you being too stressed out." Tandy put her hand on her knee.

"Tandy, I'm fine this isn't too much for me. I hardly even know that Scarlett is there. She's so meek and timid. She keeps trying so hard to make sure that she's not in the way." Rayna told her.

"You know how I feel if you're happy then I'm behind you. I'm not gonna do anything to make your life any more difficult." Tandy reminded her.

"I'm very happy. There was never any question of if we were gonna take her in or not. His poor mother has her hands full with Bev and his father. I don't want her around that man any more than Deacon does." Rayna sighed a little.

"Well, look at you, pretty girl." Tandy addressed Scarlett when she came out of the dressing room in one of the outfits they had picked out to try on. She and Rayna had spent the whole day making the little girl feel special.

"How do you like that outfit?" Rayna asked her.

"I like it it's really pretty. Are you sure that it's not too much, Aunt Ray?" Scarlett didn't want to do anything to cause too much trouble.

"Sweetie, don't worry about that. I want you to be happy and have nice things." Rayna smiled at her.

"Scarlett, I want you to go pick out the prettiest most expensive thing that you can find. I want to buy it for you." Tandy chimed in.

"Really?" Scarlett's eyes got big.

"Yes, really. Now go on." Tandy smiled. This was her way of supporting her sister.

" _Thank you,"_ Rayna mouthed to her.

* * *

Deacon and Vince were putting together a canopy bed in one of the spare bedrooms for Scarlett. They had already painted the room and brought the rest of the furniture in.

"Deac, it seems like this rehab has worked really well for ya." Vince commented.

"It did and I have more of a reason to want to make it stick this time. She almost married another man and let him raise my baby as his own. I can't let anythin' like that happen ever again." Deacon shook his head and picked up another screw for the bed.

"That's rough, dude. If it makes you feel any better I don't think she could have gone through with it. She loves you too damn much." Vince tried to make him feel better about it.

"I know that. She didn't even make it that long before the guilt got to her and she had to tell me." Deacon agreed with him.

"So, how was this rehab compared to the others?" Vince asked him.

"It was way better. This one wasn't the cookie cutter kind where they tried to treat every alcoholic the same. They tailored the program to me and what I needed. I hate to admit it, but the counselin' has really helped too. It didn't feel like bein' on lockdown or like I was bein' shamed. It felt safe to finally open up." Deacon put two sections of the bed together.

"Do you think that that is somethin' that might work for me?" Vince put the other section of the bed together.

"Any rehab can work for anyone if they want it bad enough. I think it was just a combination of everythin' for me. I had nothin' left to lose and I had to try to piece my life back together. I was already committed to that when Rayna showed up and told me that I was gonna be a daddy. Since when are you thinkin' 'bout goin' to rehab?" Deacon arched his eyebrow.

"Since I've lost my job and my drinkin' partner. I figure it can't do no harm." Vince helped him put the whole bed frame together.

"If it's somethin' that you really want then yeah it'll be worth it. You have to want it though. It ain't gonna work unless you do." Deacon gave him a meaningful look.

"This is somethin' I want. I can't keep livin' this way and be a proper uncle to that baby you got on the way." Vince tried to make light of the situation.

"That's right Uncle Vinny has gotta be 'round." Deacon cleared his throat to cover up his emotions.

"Enough of that. Let's put this mattress on this bed and make sure that it ain't gonna collapse the minute that Scarlett lays on it." Vince wiped his eyes with his knuckles quickly.

"Good idea." Deacon agreed with him.

"Hey, ya'll we're home." Rayna called out a couple hours later.

"Bring her on back." Deacon called back.

Rayna guided Scarlett into the room with her hands over her eyes a moment later. "Can she open 'em yet?"

"Yeah let her open 'em." Deacon was very excited to Scarlett to see her new room.

Rayna moved her hands from her eyes.

Scarlett opened her eyes and gasped as she looked around the room. It was only one of the prettiest things she'd ever seen. "Oh my gosh. Uncle Deac did you do this for me?"

"I sure did. You needed a room and I kinda wanted my spot next to Aunt Ray back." Deacon teased her.

Scarlett wrapped her arms around his waist. "Thank you, Uncle Deac." She moved to Rayna and hugged her too. "Thank you, Aunt Ray, I love it."

"Hey, where's my love?" Vince asked.

Scarlett launched herself into his arms. "Thank you, Uncle Vinny."

Vince kissed her all over her face. "You're welcome, Scarlett Bug."

"Vince, why don't you make yourself useful and go get all the bags out of the car? There are a lot of them that should occupy you for a little while." Tandy told him.

Vince sat Scarlett down on the ground. "Why are you always so crabby? Someone obviously needs to tune your engine up."

"I have an ex-husband who liked to go around tuning everyone's engine, but mine. That's made me just a little bitter against men. And I never liked you all that much anyway." Tandy rolled her eyes at him.

"You didn't mind me so much when you were comin' to see me for regular tune ups." Vince arched his eyebrow.

"That never happened. You have a sick mind, Vince." Tandy glared at him.

"Do you need me to list all the times that it happened? It's ok that you felt like slummin' it. You saw baby sister there was happy doin' it so you thought you'd give it a try." Vince winked at her.

"I hope you two don't plan on letting that pig anywhere near my future niece or nephew. And I can't believe you've exposed poor Scarlett to him." Tandy pulled the little girl close to her. She was going to kill Vince when she got him alone.

"Vinny, come on, man. I can't take you anywhere. Dude, you have issues." Deacon smacked him on the back of the head.

"For the good of Scarlett I'm gonna put an end to this conversation. Just so we're clear there is no doubt in my mind that it happened the way Vince said. Anyway, darlin' husband of mine, you and your best friend need to go unload the car so we can go to dinner." Rayna changed the subject.

"Because you asked so nicely I will go do that right now." Deacon kissed her.

"I'm only doin' it 'cause you asked me too and not 'cause your sister thinks she's the boss of me." Vince finally decided to behave himself a little bit.

"You just hurry up or my sister will be the least of your worries. This baby is starvin' and so am I. These hormones make me a little crazy when I'm hungry. My sister hasn't fed me in an hour. I'm gonna need you two to be quick." Rayna gave both men a look.

"Come on, Vinny. We best go. You don't wanna see what she gets like in this state." Deacon drug his friend out of the room.

"Rayna, I can explain." Tandy offered.

"Please don't. I don't wanna hear it." Rayna just shook her head.

* * *

A/N: Here is the next chapter. I hope you guys enjoyed it. Until next time please review.


	6. Chapter 6

A/N: Thanks to all my reviewers.

* * *

Chapter 6

Deacon grazed his fingers over Rayna's growing baby bump lovingly. In the early morning light streaming through their bedroom window she looked absolutely radiant. The light highlighted the red-gold accents in her hair. He was content to just watch her sleep knowing that they both belonged to each other completely.

He shifted in the bed so that he could kiss her stomach. "Hey in there, little one. This is your daddy. I just wanted to tell you that I love you very much. Today we get to find out if you're a boy or a girl. Yes, we do. Your momma and I are both very excited 'bout that. So are Scarlett, Aunt Tandy, and your pawpaw. Your mawmaw is pretty excited too, but she has her hands full dealin' with your Aunt Bev and my father. I promise you that you will never have to meet him."

He looked up when he felt Rayna's fingers in his hair.

Her eyes fluttered opened and she smiled. "What are you doing?"

"I'm talking to the Peanut." He grinned.

"What time is it?" She stretched out with a groan.

"It's 'bout time to get up. I was just talkin' with the baby while you were sleepin'." He explained.

"You should go make sure that Scarlett is up and ready for school. I need to get ready for our appointment." She told him.

"I'll go do that. I should mention in the early mornin' light you look like an angel." He crawled up the bed and pressed a kiss to her lips.

"You sure know how to make an ever expanding pregnant woman feel good about herself." She grinned against his lips.

"That's my job while you do all the hard work." He kissed her deeper.

"You better watch yourself that's how we got this bun in the oven." She ran her hands up and down his muscular back. Since getting out of rehab he had stuck to the workout regimen he started in there.

"Well, since there's already a bun in the oven a little more of the same won't hurt none." He chuckled and his lips migrated to her neck.

"You need to stop. Scarlett is gonna be up any minute and you know that she will walk right in here to see where we are." She pointed out to him.

He stared deeply into her eyes. "You have a point. This is to be continued while the Bug is at school or somethin'."

"I'll hold you to that rain check." She stole one last kiss from him.

"I'll deliver I always do." He smirked at her.

"Go get that girl up." She laughed.

"I'm goin'." He grumbled. He got up and padded down the hall to Scarlett's room. It came as no surprise to him that he was already up and dressed.

"Hi, Uncle Deac," Scarlett chirped happily when she saw her uncle standing in the doorway.

"Mornin', Bug," Deacon smiled at her. The change he'd seen at her since she'd come to stay with them had been dramatic.

"I was just gettin' ready for school." Scarlett explained to him.

"I'll go make you some cereal you can eat while I get dressed." Deacon replied.

"Ok, Uncle Deac." Scarlett agreed with him.

Deacon walked into the kitchen with her and sat her at the counter with a bowl of cereal. "Alright, you eat and I will be right back."

"Was she awake?" Rayna asked when he walked back into the bedroom. She was dressed and she was putting a little bit of makeup on.

"She's in the kitchen eatin' now." Deacon stripped out of his pajamas quickly and changed into a pair of jeans and a long sleeved shirt.

"Let's go join her." Rayna took his hand and they walked back into the kitchen.

"Mornin', Aunt Ray." Scarlett sat on her stool swinging her little legs back and forth.

"Good morning, Bug." Rayna kissed the top of her head. She made sure that she even more so than Deacon showered the little girl with affection. It was apparent that with Beverly Scarlett had never really known any type of maternal affection.

"Do we find out what the baby is today?" Scarlett asked excitedly.

"We sure do. With any bit of luck the baby will cooperate and we will be able to find out if it's a boy or a girl." Deacon told her.

"What are you hopin' for, Bug?" Rayna played with her hair.

"A healthy baby." Scarlett replied maturely.

"That's what I'm hopin' for too. You 'bout ready to head to school?" Deacon laughed a little.

"I'm ready, Uncle Deac." Scarlett smiled at him.

* * *

"What is takin' this doctor so long?" Deacon sat in the chair beside the exam table.

"Babe, it hasn't been that long you're just excited." Rayna reached over and took his hand.

"You're right. I'm very excited. I just wanna know so I can stop callin' the baby an it." Deacon squeezed her hand.

The doctor walked in a moment later. Dr. Tom Beecher was a fairly young man, but he had been Rayna's doctor since she was a teenager.

"Rayna, this is the exciting appointment. You are getting closer. Are you ready?" Dr. Beecher smiled at her.

"I still have a ways to go, but I'm already so ready to have this baby out of me." Rayna replied.

"You must be the dad." Dr. Beecher offered his hand to Deacon.

"That's me." Deacon shook his hand. This was his first time meeting her doctor. His partner had handled Rayna's last appointment.

"Dr. Beecher, this is my husband, Deacon." Rayna introduced them.

"Ok, let's get this show on the road. I'm sure that you're both anxious to know what you have in the oven." Dr. Beecher sat down on the stool. He grabbed the gel and the wand. "This is gonna be cold." He squirted the gel on Rayna's belly and started moving the wand around.

Rayna flinched a little bit from the cold.

"You ok? Did that hurt?" Deacon asked concerned.

"I'm fine it was just cold." Rayna assured him.

Dr. Beecher pulled up an image on the screen and enlarged it. "Look at that the baby is cooperating. You see that right there?" He pointed to the corner of the screen.

"I see it. What am I lookin' at?" Deacon replied.

"That means congratulations it's a girl." Dr. Beecher told him.

"Did you hear that, Ray? It's a girl." Deacon smiled and his eyes teared up.

"I heard, baby. We're having a little girl." Rayna pulled him down so she could kiss him. "You are gonna be amazing with her."

"Thanks, babe." Deacon kissed her forehead.

"I will go print these pictures out for you two and I will be right back." Dr. Beecher smiled at them.

"Ray, why didn't you tell me sooner that your damn doctor looks like a male model?" Deacon asked as soon as he left the room.

"Because I knew you'd react just the way you are. He's a good doctor and I feel comfortable with him." Rayna hid a smirk.

"I don't know if I'm comfortable with someone who looks like him that close to the parts of you that I like the best." Deacon retorted.

"Babe, I'm gonna take that for what it was and not think that you meant you're only with me for sex. I promise you that I ain't attracted to any man other than you. I wasn't even attracted to Teddy. You are the only one who can do it for me." Rayna squeezed his hand.

"I better be." Deacon stuck his bottom lip out in a pout.

Rayna got up and started to get dressed. "So, I have a stop that I need to make this afternoon. I'm pretty sure that you don't want to be around for that."

"What stop?" Deacon asked her.

"I have to go talk to Teddy. I promised I would keep him in the loop. I know without a doubt that this is your daughter, but he won't listen to that." Rayna informed him.

"Ok, I need to go pick up Vinny from rehab anyway. He did thirty days let's see if that did anythin' to help him." Deacon replied.

"I will pick up Scarlett from school then. I want you to bring Vince back to the house. I want him there when we tell everyone else that we're having a girl. Vince is family and he needs the support right now. In my experience those thirty day programs only make you mean." Rayna replied.

"Not this rehab. They are real good. They don't just have you work your steps they try to get to the heart of what made you drink. For instance, I'm not actually an alcoholic I'm a binge drinker. That don't mean that I ever plan on touchin' anythin' again. I'm just tellin' you that that is one of the things that they dig into while you're in there." Deacon explained to her.

"Deacon, I can't get over how well that rehab worked for you. A year ago you wouldn't have been able to stand back and take stock like that. I'm really proud of you." Rayna kissed him.

"Thanks, babe. I'm pretty proud of me too." Deacon smiled. "And I think as my reward you should get an OBGYN that doesn't look like a damn underwear model."

"Nice try, babe, but I'm stickin' with him." Rayna laughed and slapped his chest playfully.

* * *

Teddy looked up from his computer screen surprised to see Rayna standing in the doorway of his office. "Hey,"

"Can I come in?" Rayna asked.

"Sure come on in." Teddy waved her into the room.

Rayna walked in and took something out of her purse.

"What are you doing here?" Teddy wondered.

"You wanted to be kept in the loop about my pregnancy. That's what I'm doing here." Rayna arched her eyebrow at him.

"I thought you said that there was no possible way that this is my baby." Teddy replied.

"As far as I'm concerned there isn't. You're the one who keeps pushin' to be involved. That doesn't exactly help anythin' with my husband, but I'm here I'm tryin' to do right by everyone involved." Rayna told him.

"What if I am the father though? What happens then? Until I have proof otherwise I will believe that I am." Teddy posed that question to her.

"If you're the father then we will work something out. I know it's not gonna come to that though." Rayna shrugged her shoulders.

"I'll tell you what's gonna happen if this is my baby. I'm gonna make damn sure that your unstable husband is nowhere near my child. If you wanna be a mother to this baby you'll have to choose between the baby and him. He's not fit to be around adults much less an innocent baby that is gonna depend on him for everything." Teddy lowered the hammer.

"Teddy, here is my word of warning to you. If you even think about tryin' to take my baby from me you will deal with the Wyatt side of me. Deacon would never do anything to hurt a child. You don't know him the way I do. You don't know what he's been through or what a serious accusation that is to him. I won't choose between my child and my husband. If I didn't know for a fact that the baby and I were both safe with Deacon I wouldn't be with him. He knows if he even thinks about slipping I'll leave him so fast it'll make his head swim." Rayna put her hands on her hips.

"I'm telling you if this baby is mine I don't want it around him." Teddy repeated.

"And I'm telling you that you do not want to test me. You won't like what happens if you do." Rayna glared at him.

"Is that all you came here for today? To argue with me?" Teddy arched his eyebrow.

"No, Teddy, I didn't come to argue with you. I came here to tell you that it's a girl and she's healthy." Rayna slammed the ultrasound picture down on his desk and stormed out before he could get another word in.

* * *

"Thanks for doin' this, Deac. I didn't have anyone else." Vince climbed into the passenger seat of Deacon's truck and threw his bag in the backseat.

"No problem, Vinny. We are family. I would do anythin' for you, man. I know that you kept an eye on Ray all those times that I was in rehab." Deacon replied.

"She's like a baby sister to me. Of course I kept an eye on her while you couldn't be here. There was never any question 'bout that. Like you said it's what you do for family." Vince shrugged his shoulders.

"How you feelin', brother? You look good." Deacon pulled out into traffic.

"I feel good. For the first time in a long time my mind ain't all clouded by the whiskey. I think I'm gonna be able to handle this." Vince took his sunglasses off his head and put them on.

"That's good to hear. I'm here if you ever need to talk or anythin' like that. It's easier when you got someone to talk to who knows what you're goin' through." Deacon offered.

"Thanks, Deac, I'll take you up on that offer for sure." Vince smiled over at him.

"Good, I want you to." Deacon smiled back.

"So, where to now?" Vince asked him.

"We are gonna head over to the house. Ray wants you to be there when we tell everyone what we're havin'. The Bug will be real happy to see her Uncle Vinny too." Deacon told him.

"I'm game for whatever, man. You know me. I'll try anythin' once." Vince retorted.

"Yeah, I know you will. That's how we normally end up gettin' into trouble." Deacon laughed at him.

"But you can't deny that we have had fun." Vince pointed out to him.

"We had a little too much fun and that was part of the problem." Deacon reminded him.

"There ain't no such thing as too much fun." Vince grinned.

"You're trouble and yet I still keep ya 'round. That says somethin' 'bout me that I don't even wanna think 'bout." Deacon shook his head.

* * *

Scarlett ran to Rayna and threw her arms around her when she came out of the school.

"Hey, Bug, did you miss me today?" Rayna laughed and ran her fingers through the little girl's hair.

"I missed you so much today, Aunt Ray." Scarlett replied.

"Let's get you in the car so we can get home." Rayna bent down and kissed the top of her head. This was exactly what she needed after her disastrous meeting with Teddy.

Scarlett threw her backpack in the back seat of Rayna's Jeep and got in the front seat. "Did you and Uncle Deac find out 'bout the baby?" She asked.

"You are just gonna have to wait and see for a little while." Rayna laughed at her enthusiasm.

"Aw, man I thought I'd know when I got off school." Scarlett fixed a playful pout on her cute little face.

"I know you did. You can blame Uncle Deac for that one. He had somewhere that he needed to go and he couldn't come with me to pick you up today. Now you have to wait for just a little while longer to find out what the baby is." Rayna teased her.

"Can we make him sleep on the couch for this?" Scarlett asked brightly.

"I think I have a better idea. We can make him run out and get us ice cream while he thinks about what he did wrong." Rayna winked at her.

"That is a better idea, Aunt Ray." Scarlet giggled.

"Your aunt and your baby cousin are hungry. What do you say we stop and get a snack before we head home?" Rayna suggested.

"I'd like that." Scarlett replied.

"Alright, that's what we will do then." Rayna drove them to a gas station. Her weird pregnancy cravings made her want gas station food for some odd reason. "Scarlett, get anythin' that you want."

"Ok, Aunt Ray." Scarlett agreed.

"Rayna? Rayna Wyatt?" A dark headed woman about Rayna's age called her name.

Rayna turned around and fought the urge to groan. She hated running into people that she had gone to high school with. "Peggy, I should have known that was you. You're 'bout the only person that would still address me by my father's last name." She fixed her fake stage smile on her face.

Peggy Kentor was a skinny, bubbly brunette. She and her group of friends had made Rayna's high school experience pretty miserable because she was into country music instead of the country club scene like they were. "I keep forgetting that it's Jaymes now. Though I don't know how. You're kinda a big deal around here. You've been all in the news lately what with your wedding and your baby news. Congratulations by the way. You and I even have an ex in common."

"That's right I took my momma's maiden name. Thanks, Peggy, that means a lot to me. Bless your heart." Rayna issued the biggest insult that she could according to southern lady society.

"Aunt Ray, can I get this?" Scarlett held up a soda.

"Of course you can, Bug." Rayna turned her attention back to Scarlett.

"And who is this?" Peggy bent down with her hands on her knees at Scarlett's level.

Scarlett buried her face in Rayna's leg shyly.

Rayna rubbed her back. "This is my niece, Scarlett. She's a little shy."

"I didn't realize that your sister had children." Peggy replied.

"She's Deacon's sister's little girl." Rayna explained.

"That's right you married your guitar player that you were dating in high school." Peggy acted like she had just remembered that.

"Aunt Ray, can we go home yet?" Scarlett looked up at her.

Rayna was thankful for Scarlett at that moment. "Of course, sweetie." She smiled at Peggy again. "I gotta get this one home. It was good to see you."

"Good to see you too, Rayna." Peggy waved as she walked away.

"Scarlett, that is why you don't keep in touch with your former classmates if you can help it." Rayna grumbled lowly.

"Whatever you say, Aunt Ray." Scarlett agreed.

"Well, look at that, Scarlett, Uncle Deac beat us home." Rayna pulled her car up in front of the house.

"Uncle Deac!" Scarlett rushed into Deacon's waiting arms when she walked into the house.

Deacon picked her up and kissed her cheek. "There's my Bug. I heard this rumor that you've been a very good girl. Is that true?"

"I think so." Scarlett nodded her head.

"I sure hope so cause I brought you a surprise home." Deacon covered her eyes and past her off to Vince.

"Hi, Scarlett Bug." Vince whispered gruffly in the little girl's ear and rubbed his beard against her neck.

"Uncle Vinny!" Scarlett wrapped her arms around his neck.

"Uncle Vinny sure missed his Bug." Vince hugged her tight.

"I missed you too, Uncle Vinny. You have been gone for forever." Scarlett complained.

"I know I have been, but I'm here now." Vince promised her.

"Was that a good surprise to come home to, Bug?" Rayna smiled at her little makeshift family.

"It sure was, Aunt Ray." Scarlett nodded her head vigorously.

"You glad that Uncle Vinny is back?" Deacon asked even though he could see the answer to that question. He walked over and put his arm around his wife.

"I am. I missed him so much." Scarlett kept her arms around Vince's neck.

"I missed him too." Deacon admitted.

"Scarlett, how 'bout you and Uncle Vinny go in your room and do your homework? We can give Uncle Deac and Aunt Ray some alone married people time." Vince carried her to her room without waiting for an answer.

"You seem a little tense, babe. Is everythin' ok?" Deacon rubbed soothing circles on Rayna's back.

"I'm fine. I just got a little frustrated earlier. The Bug and I stopped at the gas station on the way home and Peggy was there. Peggy that I went to high school with and can't stand Peggy." Rayna gave him a look that said all he needed to know.

"That explains it then. I know how much you dislike her." Deacon kissed her temple.

"She just makes it so hard for me not to put my fist through her face." Rayna clenched her teeth. It was better for right now if she didn't relay the content of her conversation with Teddy to her husband. Then he would have the urge to his fist through Teddy's face.

"Well, all that matters is that you're home now and you don't have to deal with her anymore. You just have to deal with our crazy family." Deacon kissed her cheek.

"That's enough to make me wish I could drink." Rayna chuckled.

* * *

"Oh God, you guys just had to invite him to this." Tandy groaned when she saw that Vince was present. Truly she didn't mind Vince she just couldn't act like she liked him.

"He's family, Tandy. There's nowhere else he should be right now." Rayna told her sister.

"Mhmm, if only he behaves himself like he should." Tandy rolled her eyes.

"Tandy, I'm just thankful for the fact that Vince and Deacon are in the same place and they are both sober for a change. If you had any idea how rare that was you wouldn't be complaining." Bucky threw out there.

"Buck, I don't know how many times I've told you this, but you need to get my sister to give you a raise. You put up with way more than any manager should have to." Tandy replied.

"I see that the president of my fan club is in rare form tonight." Vince chimed in.

"Vince, why don't you do the world a favor and hold your breath until you pass out?" Tandy quipped.

"Alright, ya'll hush and stop carryin' on like you ain't got no sense. Vinny, you know better than to get Tandy started. If she comes after you ain't no one gonna rescue your ass." Deacon laughed.

"Deacon John, watch your mouth in front of Scarlett." Rayna scolded him.

"Aw hell, Ray. I can guarantee you that she's heard a lot worse than that from my good for nothin' father." Deacon waved her off. "Speakin' of fathers. Where's Lamar? We can't get on with this 'til he gets here."

"He should be here any minute. I talked to him just before I came in and he was close." Tandy answered him.

Lamar walked in the door without bothering to knock he sat down on the couch and made himself right at home. "I apologize for running late. Traffic was bad leaving the office." He held his hand out to Scarlett. "Scarlett, come sit with me."

Scarlett didn't hesitate to go crawl into Lamar's lap. "Hi, pawpaw." She hugged him. He had insisted that she call him that.

Lamar smiled fondly and kissed the top of her head. He could be ruthless and he wouldn't for one second deny that, but he also had a soft side. For whatever reason his son-in-law's niece brought it out. Perhaps it was because he'd never been attentive enough to his own girls. "Hi, Scarlett."

"Daddy, I'd offer you a drink, but I'm reasonably sure that there's no alcohol in this house. At least I would hope not." Rayna replied.

"Hold that thought for just a minute." Deacon reached behind the fridge and pulled out a whiskey bottle wrapped up in a brown paper bag. "Here, if he has to have a drink give him that."

"Seriously? I thought I found all your hidin' spots." Rayna sighed.

"You found the ones I wanted you to find anyway. I didn't even know 'bout all my hidin' spots. I'm pretty creative when I'm drunk. I just found that one last night and there's no tellin' how long ago I put it back there." Deacon shrugged his shoulders. He grabbed a glass out of the cabinet and broke the seal on the whiskey bottle to pour a drink for Lamar. He walked over and handed it to him. "Here you go."

"Thank you," Lamar was cordial, but stiff with him.

"Alright, the only thing left to do is for me to call momma." Deacon thought out loud.

"Already on it." Rayna dialed June's number from memory. "Later you and I are gonna have a long talk 'bout your hidin' places." She smiled when June picked up the phone. "Just hold on a minute while I put you on speaker." She pressed the speaker phone button. "Deacon, hit it."

Deacon wrapped his arm around Rayna's waist. "Ray and I are happy to announce that we are havin' a baby girl."

"Congratulations, sweet boy, I know that you're gonna be an amazin' daddy." June told him.

"Thanks, momma." Deacon replied.

"Deac, I'll go get the shotguns right now, brother. We're gonna need 'em." Vince spoke up.

"I feel sorry for this poor little girl. Between Deacon and Vince and not to mention Lamar no boy is ever gonna look at her." Bucky shook his head.

"That's a good thing. Boys are obviously trouble. I'm looking at two right now that are more trouble than they're worth." Tandy pointed at Deacon and Vince.

Rayna just rolled her eyes and looked at her husband.

"Don't look at me like that she's your sister." Deacon grinned.

"All of these crazies are our family. Like it or not we are stuck with 'em for life. I don't think I'd want it any other way." Rayna stole a kiss from him.

After everyone had gone home and they'd put Scarlett to bed Rayna and Deacon laid in bed next to each other talking.

"You know we're gonna need a bigger place than this don't you?" Rayna rolled on her side and propped up on her elbow.

"Yeah, I know we are. This is just the first real place I ever had to call home and I'm gonna miss it." Deacon admitted.

"Just because we're moving on doesn't mean that we have to get rid of it. I'm thinking that Vince is gonna need a place to stay. And I'm sorry, but there is no way that our marriage or my sanity could survive me having to live with the two of you again. This is for our girls. They need a place to call home that their daddy has never hidden a whiskey bottle behind the fridge so I didn't know it was there." Rayna laid her head on his chest.

"You know that you just referred to Scarlett as ours don't ya?" Deacon grinned and ran his hand up and down her back.

"Because she is ours, Deacon. We can't let her go back to Beverly and the way the judge was talkin' I don't think he wants that either. Your sister already hates me and barely speaks to you, so what would the harm be if we just went ahead and filed for custody anyway? I don't ever want her to have to go back to that mess ever again." Rayna looked up at him.

"Believe it or not I'm pretty sure that Beverly would be more open to that idea than you think she would be. She never really wanted to be a momma and Doug didn't even sign Scarlett's birth certificate even though they were married. Don't get me wrong she's loved Scarlett the best that she could, but she just ain't cut out to be a momma. It wouldn't take much talkin' from me to momma to get her to agree to this. Just let me handle it first. If that don't work then we can pull in the big guns." Deacon replied.

"I think that's a damn good idea." Rayna leaned up and kissed him.

* * *

A/N: Here is the next chapter. I hope you guys enjoyed it. Sorry for the long wait. Until next time please review.


	7. Chapter 7

A/N: Thanks to all my reviewers.

* * *

Chapter 7

Rayna opened her eyes and sat bolt upright in the bed. She was pretty sure the feeling she was experiencing at the moment wasn't normal. Or It could have been normal she didn't know. This was her first time at this whole pregnancy thing and she wasn't an expert. She was nine months pregnant and wouldn't surprise her in the least bit if the baby chose to come now. She figured it was better to be safe than sorry.

She turned on the bedroom light and nudged Deacon awake. "Babe, wake up."

"Huh? What's goin' on, babe?" Deacon looked at her sleepily.

"I don't wanna alarm you or anythin' like that, but I think I might be in labor." Rayna explained to him as calmly as she could. She took his hand and gripped it tightly when she was hit by a contraction.

"Ow," Deacon exclaimed. "I'd say that you're in labor from the way that felt."

"Don't you dare say ow right now, Deacon John Claybourne. You're the reason that I'm in this position!" Rayna yelled at him.

"Ok, you just get yourself ready and I'll get dressed and go wake Scarlett up. We can call your sister and your daddy, and my momma, and Vince on the way to the hospital." Deacon was freaking out, but he tried not to let Rayna see that.

He was so excited that he tried to put both his legs into the same leg of his jeans and he fell flat on his face.

Rayna put her hands over her mouth and did her best not to let him hear her laugh. "Babe, are you ok?"

Deacon held his hand up showing a thumbs up sign. "I'm good." He got up and got his clothes on right. He grabbed her hospital bag and threw it over his shoulder. He walked into Scarlett's room and just scooped her up in his arms without bothering to wake her. "You ready?"

"Yeah, babe, I'm as ready as I'm ever gonna be." Rayna rubbed her belly.

Deacon put Rayna and Scarlett in the truck before locking the door to the house. He got in the front seat of the truck and took Rayna's hand. "It's gonna be ok, babe. She is gonna be perfectly healthy."

"I know that. I just really wish my momma could be here to see this." Rayna's bottom lip quivered.

"I know, baby." He brought her hand up to his lips and kissed it.

Deacon made it to Vanderbilt in record time in record time. The doctor on call got Rayna admitted quickly. "Scarlett, you sit here with Aunt Ray. I am gonna make a couple phone calls and I will be right." He bent down and kissed her head.

He stepped out into the hall and called everyone that he needed to and he stepped back into the room when he was finished.

"How, you doin', babe?" He asked.

"I feel like my insides are bein' ripped out. I know you didn't just ask me that question. After this experience I will never again complain about period cramps. I can't wait to get that epidural." Rayna glared at him.

"So, I called everyone on the list. Momma was gettin' on a plane as soon as she hung up. Tandy said she will be here as soon as she can she's on her way. Lamar is headed this way too. I couldn't track Vince down, but that doesn't surprise me. Since he doesn't drink anymore he's been doin' a lot of what he does second best and you know what I mean by that." Deacon gave her the run down.

"I absolutely know what you mean by that. It's just what are we gonna do with Scarlett? I want my sister in the room with us, babe." Rayna replied.

"We will figure somethin' out. I'm sure that Lamar will keep an eye on her if it comes to that." Deacon reassured her.

"Pawpaw always wants me to sit with him." Scarlett yawned.

"I know he does. You're just 'bout the only person that pawpaw is nice to." Rayna winked at her despite the pain.

Tandy showed up first. "I heard that my niece is trying to make her entrance into this world."

"Yeah, and it hurts like hell." Rayna retorted.

"Hi, Bug." Tandy kissed Scarlett's head.

"Hi, Aunt Tandy." Scarlett gave her a sleepy smile.

Tandy kissed her sister's forehead and took the hand that Deacon wasn't holding. "Hey, Babe, you look like hell."

"I feel like hell." Rayna groaned.

"Mom would be so proud of you." Tandy whispered to her.

Rayna just nodded her head in response.

"Tandy, I don't know if Ray told you this or not, but you're in the room with us for this. She wants you in here and you know that I can't deny her a damn thing that she wants." Deacon told his sister-in-law.

"I was gonna be in here whether either of you agreed to it or not. You'd have an easier time getting the sun not to shine than you would keeping me away while my sister is giving birth." Tandy replied.

"I guess that settles that." Deacon chuckled.

"What are you gonna do with Scarlett?" Tandy asked.

"If Deacon can get ahold of Vince he's gonna take her. If not I hope that daddy won't mind sitting with her." Rayna told her.

"Don't worry about anything right now, Babe. I will take care of everything for you." Tandy kissed her forehead again.

"Thanks, Babe." Rayna smiled at her.

"Did you want me to call Bucky for you and have him on standby to issue a press release?" Tandy asked her.

"Is this the part where I'm supposed to pretend not to know that Bucky was probably asleep in your apartment when you left to come here?" Rayna countered.

Lamar showed up not long after that. "Rayna, I just came in to wish you luck. I'm going to make myself scare until my granddaughter makes her entrance."

Rayna smiled softly at him. She knew that he was really trying. "Thanks, daddy. We would really appreciate it if you could take Scarlett out to the waiting room with you. Vince should be by in a little while to get her."

"I don't mind that at all. As a matter of fact, I think I'll just keep her myself. A little thing like this has no business being alone with Vince." Lamar held his hand out to Scarlett. "Scarlett, come with pawpaw. We are gonna go sit in the waiting room until the baby gets here."

Scarlett took his hand without question. "Ok, pawpaw."

"We can get you a cup of hot chocolate while we wait." Lamar smiled at her. He led her out of the room.

"It seems like daddy has given up his utter hatred of Deacon and put it on Vince." Tandy commented dryly.

"A lot of good it'll do him. Vinny don't give a damn what anyone thinks of him." Deacon snorted.

"And Scarlett just adores her Uncle Vinny. Daddy is fighting a losing battle on that one." Rayna agreed.

"I'm gonna go try to call Vinny again. I'll be right outside the door." Deacon said.

"It's ok go on. I'll be right here with her." Tandy gave him a reassuring smile.

This time Deacon was able to get ahold of Vince and he'd told him that he would be up at the hospital as soon as he could make it. When he stepped back into the room Dr. Beecher had just finished doing another exam on Rayna.

"How's she lookin', Doc?" Deacon asked.

"She's looking good. Labor is progressing nicely and the baby is doing great." Dr. Beecher answered him.

"That's what I like to hear." Deacon grinned.

"Dr. Beecher, when can I have the epidural?" Rayna asked him. She just wanted the pain to stop. She hadn't even entertained the thought of doing this without drugs.

"You can have it whenever you want it. If you want to try to get up and move to help your labor along you can. Or I can have them set up for the epidural now. That's totally up to you." Dr. Beecher replied.

"I want that epidural now. As excited as I am to meet my baby girl I need drugs to get through this pain." Rayna told him.

"Say no more. I'll send someone in here right away. If you ask me I think you made the wise choice. I have some patients that do it naturally, but I just don't understand why they would." Dr. Beecher laughed lightly and walked out of the room.

"I still say that guy looks like a damn underwear model. I just ain't comfortable with him seein' the intimate parts of my wife." Deacon grumbled.

"Deacon, going to the OBGYN is uncomfortable for women. If the doctor is nice to look at it makes things a little easier." Tandy shrugged her shoulders.

"Gee, thanks for havin' my back, Tandy." Deacon's words oozed with sarcasm.

"You're very welcome." Tandy replied just as sarcastically.

Deacon's eyes got wide when he saw the size of the needle used for the epidural. "Wow,"

"Dad, do you wanna come help hold her on her side while we do this?" A nurse asked him.

Deacon was still in awe over the size of the needle and he hadn't heard the question.

"Deacon!" Tandy barked sharply to get his attention.

"What?" Deacon blinked his eyes rapidly to knock off the fog.

"You need to help hold Rayna on her side while they give her the epidural." Tandy spoke slowly. She fought the urge to roll her eyes. She knew that he wasn't purposely being dense this was just new to him.

"I got her, you just hold her hand." Deacon helped hold Rayna steady on her side while they administered the epidural.

"Oh my God!" Rayna yelled out in pain.

"I know, Babe, squeeze my hands. Deacon and I are both here we've got you." Tandy spoke to her soothingly.

"You can do this, Ray. You're bein' so strong right now. I'm so proud of you." Deacon rubbed her back.

Rayna gripped her sister's hands tightly and squeezed her eyes shut. She took several deep breaths.

"There you go, Ms. Jaymes, all done." The nurse told her.

"Thank God, that'll be worth it just to go numb and not feel this labor pain anymore though." Rayna did her best to calm her breathing.

"They killin' you in here or are ya just havin' a baby?" Vince stuck his head in the door.

"Vince, the last thing she needs right now is your juvenile behavior." Tandy snapped at him.

"I ain't even done nothin', Tandy. I just got here for the love of Christ." Vince defended himself.

"With you that doesn't mean anything at all." Tandy arched her eyebrow at him.

"Ok, you two, cool it. I rather my daughter didn't come into the world to the sounds of her aunt and uncle fightin'." Deacon stepped in.

"Hey, Ray, how you feelin'?" Vince walked over and took her hand.

"Like shit, but it means everything to me that you came." Rayna gave him a weak smile.

"I know you didn't think that I would miss my niece bein' born for anythin' in this world. There is no place else I rather be. I call dibs on godfather by the way." Vince joked with her.

"We'll see how that works out for you." Rayna teased him back.

"Vinny, it'd be a big help right now if you were to just go sit in the waitin' room with Lamar and Scarlett. This room is crowded enough. And frankly there are parts of my wife that I just don't want you to see." Deacon basically told him to make himself scarce.

"Say no more I'm outta here. I won't come back until someone comes to get me and let me cuddle that baby." Vince kissed Rayna's head and gave his best friend a quick hug before he made his exit.

"Here, baby, try to eat some ice chips. You're gonna need every last bit of strength that you can get." Deacon slowly and carefully fed her ice chips.

"Thank you, babe. I don't know how I thought I was gonna do this without you." Rayna gazed at him lovingly.

"You made the right choice in the end and that's all that matters, Ray. I'm right here and I ain't goin' anywhere." Deacon kissed her tenderly.

"Even with her in labor you two can't contain yourselves." Tandy shook her head playfully.

"That has a little something to do with why I'm in labor right now. We can't leave well enough alone when it comes to each other. If I don't start it he does." Rayna grinned.

"You are both so gross. I feel sorry for those two poor little girls that are gonna have to live with you." Tandy patted her sister's hand affectionately.

"They will get used to it in no time. Scarlett is already immune to our kissin'. It don't bother her." Deacon retorted.

"Secretly she wants to come live with her Aunt Tandy where things like that don't happen." Tandy winked at him.

"Mhmm, whatever you say." Deacon rolled his eyes.

Three hours later Rayna had her feet up in the stirrups. Deacon and Tandy stood on either side of her each of them holding one of her hands.

"Alright, Rayna, just one more big push and then you'll be done." Dr. Beecher told her.

"Come on, Ray, you got this, baby. I'm right here. You just focus on me and bringin' our little girl into the world." Deacon coached her.

"You can do this, Rayna. I'm here for you too." Tandy brushed her sister's hair out of her face.

Rayna sat up with a determined look on her face. She squeezed both Tandy and Deacon's hands as hard as she could and she pushed with all her might. She let out a loud groan.

"Ok, Rayna, you can stop now. You have a perfect baby girl." Dr. Beecher used the bulb syringe to suction out the baby's nose and she let out a loud ringing cry.

"Listen to that she's a singer already." Tandy commented proudly.

"Do you wanna cut the cord, daddy?" A nurse asked Deacon.

Daddy? Who was she talking to? The word sounded foreign to Deacon. "Huh?" He stammered.

"Do you wanna cut your daughter's cord?" The nurse repeated.

Daughter. He had a daughter. This tiny, beautiful, perfect little thing that he was now responsible for. "Yeah, I do." Deacon finally answered. He took the scissors in his hand and snipped her cord.

He watched in awe while the nurses cleaned her up. He hadn't gotten a really good look at her yet and already she was the most beautiful thing that he had ever seen.

"Here you go, daddy, she's all yours now." A nurse gently placed the baby in his arms.

There was that word again. Daddy. He still didn't know what to make of it. He had no positive experiences with that word and now he was one. He cradled his daughter to his chest protectively. He gazed upon his daughter's face and took his first good long look at her. From what he could tell she had his hair color and generally looked like him. He counted all of her fingers and her toes just to be sure that they were there. She was absolutely perfect in his eyes. He laid a gently kiss on her forehead. He took slow, but steady steps to his wife's bedside.

"Look what we did, momma." Deacon's voice cracked. A tear slid down his cheek.

"Let me hold her." Rayna held her arms out for her daughter.

Deacon carefully transferred his daughter to her mother's care. "There you go."

"Hi, baby girl, I'm your momma." Rayna was smiling and crying at the same time. Like she had said all along she didn't need the DNA test to prove what she'd always known. Her little girl looked so much like her daddy that it wasn't funny. Any doubts that she might have had about her not being Deacon's were erased the minute she looked at her.

"Oh, Rayna, she is gorgeous." Tandy gushed over her niece. "Don't let this go to your heads or anything, but you two did good."

Deacon laughed softly. "Thanks, Tandy."

Tandy kissed her sister and her niece. She surprised everyone by kissing Deacon's cheek. "Congratulations, I'm gonna go tell daddy and Vince that she's here and give you three a minute alone. Deacon can come get Scarlett when he wants her." She excused herself.

"Wow, just wow look at her." Deacon rubbed the back of the baby's tiny hand with his thumb.

"She's perfect." Rayna gasped in delight when her daughter's eyes popped open at the sound of her father's voice. "Look at those gorgeous eyes. Someone heard her daddy talkin' about her."

"Daddy's right here, princess. He's not goin' anywhere ever." Deacon promised her.

"Do we still like her name?" Rayna asked him.

"Yes we do." Deacon replied.

"Welcome to the world, Madison Miranda Claybourne, your momma and daddy love you so very much." Rayna whispered to her softly. They had named her after Rayna's mother and Deacon's grandmother.

"You are loved wanted and safe, Maddie. Daddy will always protect you no matter what." Deacon vowed. He didn't know much about being a father, but he was going to do everything in his power to be the best one he could be.

* * *

"Momma, you wouldn't believe how perfect she is. I can't even put it into words. I'm havin' a hard time believin' that I had anythin' to do with makin' her." Deacon talked his mother's ear off as they made their way to Rayna's room.

"Deacon John, you should see your face right now. You are lit up like a Christmas tree talkin' 'bout your brand new daughter. You are so proud of her. She already stole her daddy's heart." June teased him.

"She stole the half of it that her momma doesn't have. I don't think any of my girls mind sharin' me though." Deacon had a big dopey grin on his face.

"It's good to see you so happy. You deserve this, my boy." June laid a gentle hand on his cheek.

Deacon too his mother's hand and kissed it affectionately. "Thank you, momma. I never thought I'd get to be this happy. I finally have a real family. I'm gonna do everythin' in my power to make sure that I don't screw it up."

"I have faith in you, my son. You're already ten times the man your father is. You'll be ten times the daddy he is too." June smiled at him.

"I'm gonna do my best to be a better daddy anyway." Deacon broke out into a wide smile when he saw who was in the room with his wife and daughter. "Hey, Watty, I didn't know that you planned on stoppin' by." He shook his hand.

"I wanted to come see Song Bird and this new little one ya'll made. She's is gorgeous like her momma already." Watty clapped him on the back.

"I sure think she's somethin' special anyway." Deacon smiled even wider.

"As you should. I will get out of your hair and let ya'll enjoy her. I will be stoppin' by for a visit soon." Watty said before he departed.

"Momma, would you like to meet your new granddaughter?" Deacon asked. He washed his hands before he picked Maddie up.

"Of course I would." June smiled.

"Here you go." Deacon handed Maddie over.

Rayna watched them interact with a smile on her face. She knew that this was a big deal for both of them.

"She is so precious." June kissed her forehead. "Rayna, you did good, sweetie."

"Thank you, June. I feel like hell, but she was worth every minute of pain I went through." Rayna replied.

"I know the feeling, sweetheart." June winked at her. "Now, what is this little one's name?"

"Momma, I would like for you to meet your granddaughter, Madison Miranda Claybourne." Deacon introduced them.

"Your mawmaw is gonna be tickled pink when she finds out that you gave this girl her first name as her middle name." June told him. "Hi, Miss Maddie, I'm your mawmaw. You have to go easy on your daddy. He's not always gonna get it right, but he means well. You will never know just how much you mean to him." She sat down in the rocker with the baby and rocked with her.

"How good does that look, Ray?" Deacon asked.

"That looks pretty damn perfect." Rayna told him.

"Where's my other granddaughter?" June asked.

"She's off makin' mischief with her Uncle Vinny." Rayna answered.

"Before she gets in here there are a set of papers in my purse for ya'll. Bev signed them and Doug signed them. Scarlett is yours if ya'll wanna legally adopt her." June informed them.

"Thank you so much, momma. I don't know how you managed this, but we owe you." Deacon sighed in relief.

"That is really great news. I think that this is the best day ever. I was really worried about how we were gonna get to keep her." Rayna admitted.

"I just might have reminded Beverly of what your daddy put us through and that was enough to get her to sign. She knows that she can't take care of her. She doesn't really want to be a momma. This is better for everyone." June explained.

"We are gonna take very good care of her, momma. I promise you that." Deacon swore to her.

"I'm not worried 'bout that. You two are already doin' a great job with her. I just want what's best for that little girl. Ya'll and the family you're buildin' here is what's best for Scarlett." June left no room for argument. She hadn't protected her children the way she should have, but she could damn sure protect her granddaughter.

"Mawmaw, you're here!" Scarlett rushed in and headed straight for her grandma.

"I'm here." June handed Maddie off to Deacon so she could hug Scarlett. "Your mawmaw sure has missed you, sweet girl."

"I missed you too, mawmaw." Scarlett hugged her tight.

"You bein' good for Aunt Ray and Uncle Deac?" June asked even though she knew she didn't have to.

"I'm tryin' my best to be extra good, because I don't wanna have to go away. I really like it here." Scarlett promised her.

"You don't have to worry 'bout that, sweet pea, you're right where you're gonna stay." June replied.

* * *

Rayna sat up in the chair beside her bed holding Maddie. They were alone while Deacon took June and Scarlett back to the house. She tore her eyes away from her daughter when she sensed a presence in the doorway. "Teddy, I would say that I'm surprised you dropped by, but I'm really not."

"I just figured that I should come. I heard through the grapevine that you'd gone into labor and well I wanted to be here." Teddy shifted his weight from foot to foot nervously.

"Come in. Don't just hover in the doorway like that. Someone could see you and that's really not something I want to have to explain." Rayna patted Maddie's back gently while she spoke.

Teddy walked in and closed the door behind him softly so he didn't disturb the baby. "So, that's her?" He smiled a little bit.

"Yeah, this is her." Rayna nodded her head.

"She's so tiny." Teddy looked down at Maddie.

"I know; her daddy was afraid he was gonna break her." Rayna said without thinking.

"You're still sticking to your guns about Deacon being her father?" Teddy arched his eyebrow.

"Teddy, I need the DNA test even less now than I did before. All I have to do is look at her and I know who her father is. She looks a lot like him." Rayna replied.

"I won't believe it until I see the DNA test. Do you think that I could maybe hold her?" Teddy asked hopefully.

"Over my dead body do you touch my daughter." Deacon said from the doorway.

"She could just as easily be my daughter and you know it." Teddy argued.

"She could be, but she's not. She's mine and there's no doubt in my mind about that. You're the reason that I almost didn't get to be here for this. I don't want you anywhere near her." Deacon shot back.

"The feeling is mutual there. I don't want you around her either." Teddy didn't back down.

"Teddy, in the eyes of the law I'm her father because I'm married to her mother. I don't need that kind of technicality though, because I'm her daddy." Deacon told him.

"Both of you knock it off right now. I don't want my baby girl exposed to this." Rayna called them both down.

"Ray," Deacon said simply.

"Deacon, I understand how you feel, babe. I really do. But, maybe if he holds her he'll see what I've been trying to tell him for months." Rayna looked at him pleadingly.

"Fine," Deacon sighed.

Teddy went to take Maddie out of Rayna's arms.

"Wash your hands first. She is a newborn." Deacon barked at him.

Teddy washed his hands and took Maddie into his arms. "Wow, look at you. You sure are something special aren't you?" He smiled at her softly.

"Support her little head. She can't do it herself." Deacon's back teeth were on edge.

"I've got her, Deacon." Teddy seethed. Maddie started fussing.

Deacon didn't hesitate. He took his daughter, held her close to his chest, and made soft soothing noises. "Shh, you're ok, Maddie. Daddy's got you. Daddy is here, baby girl."

Rayna looked at the sight in front of her and her heart melted. She knew without a doubt that they were father and daughter. She didn't need the test to tell her that, that's how sure she was. But still there was a little nagging voice in the back of her head telling her it was too good to be true. She didn't know what would happen if Maddie wasn't Deacon's daughter. "There's a really simple way to resolve this whole thing. I'll call the doctor and get them to run the DNA test now. That way we all know for sure."

"Ray, I don't need the test. All I have to do is hold her in my arms and I know that I helped make her." Deacon told her.

"Get the test, Rayna." Teddy put his foot down.

"Ok, I'll have the test run." Rayna picked up the phone and called her doctor.

* * *

It took two days for the DNA test to come back. That coincided with the day that Rayna was released from the hospital. She was making sure that she had everything packed up when there was a knock on the door. She groaned inwardly when she saw not only Teddy, but his parents standing there as well.

"Teddy, what are you doing here?" Rayna did her best to sound cordial.

"Mom and dad heard that you had the baby and they wanted to meet her." Teddy replied.

"Teddy, I really wish you would have called first. Deacon is going to be here any minute." Rayna told him.

"I promise that we will be quick." Teddy replied.

"We just want to meet our granddaughter." Mary spoke up.

"It should have happened before now." Ted snorted.

"Dad, please let me handle this." Teddy begged him.

"I'm just saying we should have been here instead of her husband and whoever else." Ted retorted.

Rayna shot Teddy a frosty look. She could kill him for putting her in this position. "Of course come on in." She picked Maddie up. "Hey, sleepy girl, wake up you have some visitors." She cooed at her daughter.

Teddy took her from Rayna and cradled her in his arms. "Mom, dad, this is Maddie."

"Teddy, she is beautiful." Mary gushed.

"That's a Conrad baby if ever I saw one." Ted's chest puffed out with pride.

"Dad, we don't know that for sure yet." Teddy cautioned him.

"Nonsense, I have eyes I can see. Let me hold her." Ted brushed off his comment.

"I would really appreciate it if you didn't." Deacon had just come from dropping Scarlett off at school. He had an envelope in his hand.

"I don't think I'm gonna let you tell me what to do when it comes to my own granddaughter." Ted replied.

"Dad," Teddy said in a warning tone.

"First of all she ain't your granddaughter. Second of all I'm fairly certain that you and my father have somethin' in common. I share that same thing in common with both of ya. So, I'm not comfortable with you holdin' her." Deacon called him an alcoholic without saying the words.

"Drunk, poor, and stupid. Lucky for me I'm only one of those things and it's not poor or stupid." Ted challenged him.

"I'm none of those things anymore. And I don't appreciate you passin' judgment on me." Deacon's hands clenched into fists.

"Deacon," Rayna called him down.

"You gotta trust me, Ray. You gotta let me show you that I can take care of you and are little girl the right way. I ain't gonna be insulted by someone who has no business bein' here." Deacon replied.

"Babe, not in front of Maddie please." Rayna pleaded with him.

"There's a real simple way to solve this. Open this envelope, Ray. They handed it to me on my way in. I didn't get a chance to look at it yet I thought we could do it together." Deacon handed her the envelope.

Rayna opened the envelope and read the piece of paper inside. She took a deep breath and her eyes filled up with tears. "Deacon, you should look at this." She passed him the piece of paper.

Deacon took the paper from her and read it. He closed his eyes and sighed. He took Maddie out of Teddy's arms and held her close to him.

"What the hell do you think you're doing taking my son's daughter from him?" Ted demanded.

"In the case of Madison Miranda Claybourne there is a ninety-nine point nine-nine percent chance that Deacon John Claybourne is her father." Deacon read from the piece of paper. "Now, if ya'll would kindly get the hell out of here and the hell outta our lives that would be great."

"Come on we should go." Teddy cast a sad glance in Rayna's direction and left with his parents.

"I knew that you were her father." Rayna smiled from ear to ear.

"So did I. This poor little thing looks too much like me not to be mine." Deacon kissed her tenderly. "Maddie, are you ready to go home, Princess? Mawmaw is there waitin' for you." He rubbed his nose against his daughter's.

Maddie made a little cooing noise.

"She said let's go home, daddy." Rayna kissed them both.

"Let's go home, momma." Deacon rested his forehead against hers.

* * *

A/N: Here is the next chapter. I hope you guys enjoyed it. Until next time please review.


	8. Chapter 8

A/N: Thanks to all my reviewers.

* * *

Chapter 8

Deacon walked the floor with Maddie thrown over his shoulder. He patted her back and sang to her softly. He snuck a quick peek at her and saw that her eyes were still wide open. He held her out in front of him and smiled at her. "You're just havin' none of this sleepin' thing. You must be your daddy's daughter or somethin' like that."

Maddie gave him a big smile.

"Oh you are meltin' me. I can't even be mad at you for not sleepin'. That you got from your momma yes you did. I can't be mad at her even when I should be." He cooed at her. He turned to look when he heard a noise.

"Shit, we really need a bigger place." Rayna muttered. She had tripped over something that belonged to one of the girls.

"Ray, that you?" Deacon called out.

"No, it's Scarlett. Of course it's me. I woke up because it was too quiet in the bedroom." Rayna made her way over to where her husband and daughter were.

"She woke up fussin' and wanted to be held. I didn't wanna wake you, so we came out here. She shows no signs of ever wantin' to sleep again. Look at that face. I'm not even mad at her." Deacon turned Maddie to face Rayna. "Maddie, say hi momma. Say I sleep even worse than daddy does."

"You should have woke me, darlin'. Maybe if I nurse her she will go to sleep." Rayna suggested. "Hi, Miss Maddie, it looks like you have some sleep issues in common with your daddy. Like I needed any more proof that you're his. Do you wanna come nurse with momma? That's another thing you have in common with daddy you both love momma's boobs." She sat down on the couch.

"You have good boobs, Ray. I thought you needed the rest." Deacon put the baby in her arms.

Rayna pulled down her pajama shirt and got Maddie latched on to her breast. "There you go, hungry girl." She smiled. "It's four in the mornin', baby. You have to take Scarlett to school. I don't want you drivin' her while you're tired."

"I'll be fine, babe." Deacon's words would have been more reassuring if he hadn't yawned.

"Yeah, I'm takin' Scarlett to school. You've been up all night with the baby. We're partners that means we take turns. You've been doin' it all for the past two weeks. I'm not incapable of leavin' the house. As a matter of fact, it'd be nice to get out for a few minutes. I'm not one of those mothers that's afraid to leave my baby alone with her father. I know that you'll take good care of her." Rayna patted Maddie's back.

"I guess I could use the sleep. I just wanted to make sure that you know I am your partner and I can handle this." Deacon replied.

"You don't have to keep tryin' to prove yourself to me, hon. I trust you and I know that you're in this. You're a good daddy to both our girls. Which reminds me we need to sit Scarlett down and talk to her after school today 'bout that. We also have an appointment to look at a house today. The realtor is a friend of Tandy's and we're gettin' first crack at it. I've seen it and it's gorgeous, babe. I'm not makin' a big deal outta of it, but Vince is sleepin' on the floor of our daughter's nursery and we have absolutely no room in here." Rayna told him.

"Where's this house at? I know that Vince grates on your nerves, but this situation is just temporary." Deacon sighed. He'd resigned himself to the fact that they were moving whether he wanted to or not.

"I know if I tell you you're gonna hate this house before we even look at it. I want you to keep an open mind." Rayna avoided answering the question.

"Where's the house, Rayna?" Deacon stared her down.

"It's in Belle Meade. Look at it and give it a chance before you decide to hate it." Rayna pleaded with him.

"Does it have to be Belle Meade? What's wrong with Franklin? We could get us some land over there for a pretty decent price and build a house. We would still be right here in the heart of Nashville we wouldn't be far from anythin'. I found some land that I really like most of it is in Nashville and there's a small part in Franklin." Deacon crossed his arms over his chest.

"Babe, I'm thinkin' 'bout the girls here too. I want them to go to good schools and Belle Meade has good security. That's somethin' that we have to think about with who we are. And when we have more kids we are gonna need that room to expand." Rayna pointed out to him.

"I'll think about it. I'm not makin' any promises. I will look at it and I'll think about it." Deacon relented.

"Thank you, baby, I love you so much." Rayna smiled up at him.

"Don't you smile at me like that. We both know that you're gonna get your way." Deacon gave her a look.

"Oh, I know I am." Rayna laughed.

"Just so you know I'm gonna be needin' a son. Gotta even out the gender teams around here. I love all my girls, but ya'll are gonna make me crazy." Deacon grinned.

"I will take that into consideration, but it's not happenin' soon. We have to talk about gettin' back on tour soon too. That means we have to think about what to do with the girls. One thing at a time, baby." Rayna rolled her eyes at him playfully.

"I agree." Deacon sat down and put his arm around her. He leaned his head against hers and smiled down at Maddie.

"Don't you fall asleep layin' on me." Rayna patted his knee.

"Mhmm, I won't." Deacon mumbled sleepily.

* * *

Rayna pulled up in front of Scarlett's school to drop her off. She reached around to the backseat and grabbed her backpack. "Here you go. So, when you get off school Uncle Deac and I have somethin' that we want to talk to you about. You're not in trouble or anythin' like that. We just need to have a little family meetin' ok?"

"Ok, are you sure that I didn't do anythin' wrong?" Scarlett asked.

"Honey, you haven't done a thing wrong. I just wanted to let you know, because I want you to be thinkin' of where you want to go for dinner tonight. It's time that we got out of the house for a little while." Rayna answered her.

"Ok, I'll think 'bout it, Aunt Ray." Scarlett nodded her head happily and went to get out of the car.

"Hey you, give me some sugar before you get out. You know better than that, silly girl." Rayna leaned over.

Scarlett gave her a kiss before she got out. "I love you, Aunt Ray."

"I love you too, Bug. Have a good day." Rayna blew her a kiss before she drove off.

Deacon was passed out on the couch with Maddie sound asleep on his chest when Rayna got back from taking Scarlett to school.

Rayna kissed Maddie's head gently and then she kissed Deacon's lips tenderly. She went into the kitchen and poured herself a cup of coffee. She grabbed the phone on the first ring so it didn't wake Maddie and Deacon. "Claybourne residence."

"Listen to you answering the phone like the dutiful little house wife." Tandy laughed on the other end of the line.

Rayna rolled her eyes. Her sister knew how to push her buttons sometimes. "You thought you'd take a time out from bein' daddy's perfect daughter and give me a call?"

"Ok, I deserved that. I'm sorry. I didn't call you to fight. I called to ask about my niece." Tandy apologized.

"She is absolutely perfect. She's sound asleep on her daddy's chest right now. You really need to come see her again. You know that you're welcome over here any time. Don't let the fact that you and Deacon don't like each other keep you from bein' an aunt to your niece." Rayna replied.

"I have been super busy with work. I plan to see her this weekend. Deacon Claybourne is not gonna keep me away from my sister and my niece. Don't tell him I said this, but he's not all bad. So, are you two gonna look at that house?" Tandy went on.

"We are gonna look at the house as soon as he gets up from his nap. You know that I'm absolutely in love with it. I just don't think he's too keen on the idea of livin' in Belle Meade." Rayna sat down at the counter.

"It's a really nice house for a great price. Tell him to get over it. You're the one who makes the money in that relationship and you should get more of say." Tandy pointed out to her.

"I could take that track if I wanted to sow the seeds of resentment in my husband and basically set myself up for a divorce. He's a proud man. I can't say that to him. I may be the one payin' for the house, but we both have to live there. This is gonna be our first family home. I don't want him to absolutely hate it." Rayna reasoned with her.

"Just let me know how you like the house after you look at it. I can get a little knocked off of the price for you because you're my sister." Tandy ignored the other part of what Rayna had said.

"I'll let you know. Thanks for doing this, Tandy." Rayna told her gratefully.

"It's not a problem at all. I would do anything to get you and those two little girls away from Vince." Tandy scoffed in disgust.

"Vince is harmless. He's not the big bad wolf that you and daddy think he is. He's like a brother to me. I know that you two don't understand, but this is who I am. I'm not the formal suit and tie country club type like you two are. Momma was the one who understood me and it's ok that you don't. I love you just the same." Rayna replied.

"I gotta get back to work. I'll talk to you later." Tandy said.

"Love you talk to you later." Rayna said.

"I love you too. I'll talk to you soon." Tandy hung up the phone.

* * *

Deacon pulled his truck through the gate of a Belle Meade mansion. "I think the mailbox and the house are in two different zip codes."

"Babe, look at this house. It's gorgeous." Rayna gasped.

"It's nice I'll give you that. That must be the realtor's car there." Deacon pulled to a stop in front of the house and put the truck in park.

"For me go in there with an open mind." Rayna stuck out her bottom lip.

Deacon grinned. "Ok for you. I'll get Maddie outta the back." He got out and grabbed the car seat.

Rayna got out of the truck and waited for Deacon to walk around so she could take his arm. "The property is really big."

"Yeah it is." Deacon nodded his head. They walked in the front door.

"Hey ya'll, I'm Angie. I'm glad that you could make it out today." The realtor greeted them.

"Angie, thanks for doin' this for us on such short notice. I'm Rayna." Rayna offered the other woman her hand.

"It's not a problem at all. Tandy and I were sorority sisters in college. You're practically family." Angie shook her hand. "And who is this little one?" She asked about Maddie.

"This is our Maddie. She's probably still down for the count from the car ride over." Rayna replied.

"Well, she is absolutely adorable. Looks like her daddy doesn't she?" Angie smiled.

"She sure does. Where are my manners? This is my husband Deacon." Rayna agreed.

"Nice to meet you." Deacon shook her hand.

"You too. I've heard so much about you." Angie replied.

"I'm sure you have." Deacon chuckled.

Rayna elbowed him in the side discreetly to get him to behave. "This place is gorgeous."

"Everything in here is pretty much brand new. The estate is huge and so is the house. The square footage is to die for. The natural lighting is another great feature. Do you wanna see the upstairs?" Angie went into her spiel.

"We would really like that." Rayna answered with a smile.

"Follow me right this way." Angie gestured for them to follow her.

"Babe, look at the size of this bedroom compared to ours." Rayna really was in love with the house.

"Yeah, it's nice, baby." Deacon replied.

"I'm tellin' you, babe. There is just so much room for the girls to grow here." Rayna got a little more excited with every room that they saw.

"I can't argue with you there, now can I?" Deacon smiled. He didn't want to damper her enthusiasm at all. He just wasn't feeling it.

"Deac, this room is perfect for you. It's got its own fireplace. You can come close yourself up in here when we start gettin' on your nerves. Plus, you and Vince can sit in here and do whatever it is you do together without gettin' on my nerves." Rayna's eyes lit up.

"Listen to ya. Here we are newlyweds and you're tryin' to get rid of me already." Deacon joked.

"So, do you two wanna make an offer?" Angie asked after she had shown them everything.

"Let us sleep on it for the night." Rayna already knew that she was going to have to do some talking to him to get him to agree.

"That's perfectly fine just let me know." Angie replied.

"Do you wanna tell me what you're thinkin'?" Rayna asked him once they were in the truck.

"I'm thinkin' that we need to go pick Scarlett up at school. Maddie and I took a really long nap this mornin'." Deacon pulled out of the driveway.

"I meant what do you think about the house?" Rayna corrected him.

"I don't want to tell you what I think about the house. You're excited and you love it and I don't wanna tell you that the thought of havin' to live there makes me wanna set myself on fire. I don't wanna tell you that I feel uncomfortable or outta place. I don't wanna tell ya that if I had to call that home it'd make me unhappy. I've spent the last eleven years tryin' to prove that I'm good enough for ya. I don't wanna have to feel like that every day for the rest of my life." Deacon kept his eyes on the road.

"I don't want you to feel that way. We can keep looking it's not a big deal. Your happiness matters more to me than a stupid house." Rayna put her hand on his thigh.

"You know that I hate disappointin' you. I wanna say yes badly. I just feel so outta place there. I don't wanna feel the like dirty guitar player sneakin' in your bedroom window anymore." Deacon put his hand on top of hers.

"I like it when you're dirty just for the record, but I do know what you mean. I really do understand, honey. I don't want you to feel out of place or uncomfortable not when you're supposed to be home. However, you livin' in Belle Meade would really piss my daddy and sister off." Rayna laughed softly.

"I think Lamar's head would explode." Deacon chuckled.

"You're not just that poor boy from Mississippi anymore. You haven't been for a long time. You made somethin' outta yourself. I'm proud of you and you should be proud of yourself." Rayna placed a kiss on his cheek.

"And I'm proud of you. Let's go get that Bug." The corners of Deacon's eyes crinkled up when he smiled that time.

* * *

"Uncle Deac, Aunt Ray, you're not makin' me leave are you?" Scarlett sat in the living room with her hands folded in her lap.

"I don't know 'bout that. Ray, are we makin' her leave?" Deacon bit his lip to hide a smile.

"I don't plan on makin' her leave. That's not what I have planned at all, Deac." Rayna replied.

"Then what is this about?" Scarlett looked between them.

"We thought that since things have been goin' so well that you'd like to stay. We have some papers here that all we need to do is sign them and then no one will ever be able to take you away from us. We would really love to adopt you. That's only if that's what you want though. You're a big enough girl that we wanted to give you a say in what happens to you." Deacon kneeled down in front of her.

"I can stay? Really? What about momma she's not gonna be mad at me?" Scarlett asked.

"Bug, we don't want you to worry ok? Your momma will always be your momma and nothin' can ever change that. Your momma will always love you in her way. We all think that it is best for you to be with us from now on." Rayna kissed her forehead.

"What about mawmaw?" Scarlett was concerned for her grandmother.

"Mawmaw is gonna be ok. She never has to worry 'bout anythin' ever again. We want you to focus on just bein' a little girl and havin' fun. It's our job to make sure you're takin' care of. You never have to worry 'bout takin' care of anyone again. Except for maybe Maddie when you're both a little older and we have you babysit her." Deacon kissed her cheek.

"I'm so glad that I get to stay. Thank you so much." Scarlett hugged them both tightly.

"You're so welcome, baby girl. You're gonna have such a good life here." Rayna promised her.

"That's right. You're never gonna have to want for anythin' again and no one is gonna hurt you here. You're safe, wanted, and so loved." Deacon held to her tightly.

Maddie started to cry from her bassinet.

"And that is my cue. Miss Maddie wants to eat. After I feed her we can go get some food. Scarlett, I told you that you get to pick, so we will go wherever you want to go." Rayna grabbed Maddie out of the bassinet.

"Uncle Deac?" Scarlett looked at him curiously.

"What can I do ya for?" Deacon tickled her side.

"Does this mean you're gonna be my daddy now? I never had a daddy before." Scarlett cuddled against him.

"I'll always be your daddy no matter what. It doesn't matter what you call me. That's how I feel 'bout you in my heart. It doesn't all have to be figured out today. It's ok to think on it a little while." Deacon answered her.

"The same goes for me, sweet pea. I love you like I love Maddie." Rayna added.

"Ok, I was just wonderin'." Scarlett shrugged her shoulder, but there was a thoughtful look on her face.

"For the important question. Where do you wanna go to get some food?" Deacon was starving to death.

"Can we go to the diner that Uncle Vinny took me to when he had to go to a meetin'?" Scarlett asked.

"Yes we can. Then maybe after if we're good Aunt Ray will let us go to the record store." Deacon suggested.

"That sounds like a good plan to me. Uncle Deac wants to go down to the record store and show his girls off is what this is about." Rayna agreed. She loved the freedom that living in Nashville gave them to still be normal people. They could go out in public as a family without being hassled.

* * *

When they got home from dinner Tandy was waiting on the front stoop for them.

"Hey, we didn't keep you waitin' long did we?" Rayna hugged her sister.

"No, I just got here. I'm surprised that you already took the baby out of the house." Tandy hugged her back.

"I had to get out of this house before I started climbing the walls." Rayna unlocked the door.

"Aunt Tandy picked a good time to visit. Maddie got a good nap in. Now she's wide awake and ready to play." Deacon told his sister-in-law. He carried Maddie in and sat her seat on the counter. He took her out and kissed her cheek. "Come here, you little monkey."

"Oh my goodness. Look at that smile on her face." Tandy was amazed by how happy she was.

"Only her daddy makes her smile like that. She hears his voice or sees him and those little eyes light up. They have this undeniable bond and I love it." Rayna took the baby from Deacon.

"Let me see her." Tandy went and sat on the couch with Maddie.

"Scarlett, why don't you go put your pajamas on?" Deacon suggested.

"Ok, Uncle Deac." Scarlett ran off to her room.

"What did you think of that house?" Tandy asked while she fussed over Maddie.

"It was somethin'." Deacon grunted.

"It was really nice, but I think we are gonna pass." Rayna replied.

"Babe, you aren't gonna find many deals as good as that one. I think you'd be a fool to pass it up. If I needed a place that big I'd buy it for myself." Tandy looked at her like she was crazy.

"I really do love the place, but I thought maybe we should look at some other houses first before we made a decision." Rayna explained.

"You should just put an offer in before it goes on the market. You know it'll go fast and then you'll be kicking yourself for not acting sooner." Tandy advised her.

"If it were just up to me I would have already put the offer in. Deacon doesn't care for it that much and he has to live there too." Rayna leveled with her.

"Deacon, tell her to put an offer in on the house." Tandy turned to Deacon.

"You think I can tell her what to do? I know you know her better than that. She doesn't listen to me even when she should. There was this one time in San Antonio and I won't repeat the rest of the story." Deacon turned it into a joke.

"Don't mention San Antonio. I thought I was gonna die after drinkin' that tequila with Vince." Rayna cringed.

"Not even I would touch that tequila. That should have told you somethin'." Deacon chuckled.

"It doesn't surprise me that you and Vince were involved with bad liquor." Tandy rolled her eyes.

"Tandy, be nice. They may not always use their brains, but they are my best friends. More importantly Deacon is my husband and your nieces' father. You need to try to get along with him." Rayna gave her a pointed look.

"Fine, I will try to be as nice as I know how." Tandy relented with a sigh.

 **XXXXXXXXXX**

"Baby, I think you should make an offer on that house." Deacon told her as they lay in bed together.

"Babe, I don't wanna make an offer on the house if you're gonna hate it." Rayna reasoned with him.

"I like the house. It's the neighborhood that I don't like. I can get over that though. The property is nice and so is the house. I don't want you not to have what you want just because I don't like it." Deacon would do whatever it took to make her happy even if it meant he didn't get his way.

"Are you sure, babe? I don't want you to be miserable." Rayna searched his face with her eyes. She really wanted this.

"I'm sure, babe. All I want in this world is your happiness. I know that the girls will love it and you already love it. I don't wanna be the odd man out." Deacon smiled at her.

"In that case I'll make an offer in the mornin'. Thank you for this. I know that this isn't really what you want." Rayna kissed him tenderly.

"You're welcome. I'd do anythin' for you. You oughta know that by now." Deacon rubbed his nose against hers.

* * *

A/N: Here is the next chapter. I hope you guys enjoyed it. Until next time please review.


	9. Chapter 9

A/N: Thanks to all my reviewers.

* * *

Chapter 9

"Ray, where are we goin' right now?" Deacon asked from the passenger side of her car.

"You'll see in just a minute." Rayna's eyes danced with mirth behind her sunglasses.

"We left our one month old alone with your sister and the many movin' boxes that still need to be unpacked. This better be very important." Deacon retorted. They had been in the Belle Meade house for about a week now.

"This is very important or I think it is anyway." Rayna reached over and patted his knee.

"Babe, you always think it's important. Even if it's just callin' me into the bathroom to grab you a towel." Deacon chuckled.

"That is important to me. I hate to walk into the bedroom drippin' wet." Rayna winked at him.

"God forbid you get water on that carpet." Deacon laughed again.

"Don't even pretend that you don't like the way that carpet feels under your feet. It's a hell of a lot nicer than those cold hardwood floors in the old place." Rayna turned off onto a long gravel road. Thick timber lined both sides of the lane. There was also a split rail fence that ran up both side of the road. She drove until she reached a gate. "Come on, get out of the car."

"What are we doin' here?" Deacon climbed out of the car with a confused look on his face.

"Help me over this gate." Rayna held her hand out to him.

"Girl, we are in the south you can still get your ass shot off for trespassin' down here." Deacon shook his head. "Alright, I'm gonna give you a boost." He took her hand and helped her over the gate.

"Thank you, kind sir." Rayna climbed up and over the gate gracefully.

"Step aside, babe. I'm gonna show you how this is done." Deacon backed up so he could take a running start.

"Deacon, you better be careful." Rayna warned him.

"Don't worry, babe, I got this." Deacon took off running and he used his hand to lever himself over the top of the gate.

"Look at you, not bad for a man in his thirties." Rayna smiled at him.

"I've still got it. Now, are you gonna tell me what we're doin' here?" Deacon dusted his hands off on his pants.

"Take a walk with me." Rayna held her hand out to him again.

"Alright, I don't see what harm it'll do." Deacon took her hand in his.

Rayna walked him up to the top of a ridge. In the valley below there was a lake and the property stretched for as far as the eye could see and beyond.

"Wow, this is gorgeous. That word doesn't even do this justice. I think wow is the better word." Deacon looked out over the property in awe.

"I was hopin' that you would say that." Rayna grinned.

"I still don't understand what's goin' on." Deacon's brow furrowed.

"Welcome to our retirement plan, babe." Rayna watched his face to see his reaction.

"Our retirement plan?" Deacon quirked his eyebrow.

"Yeah, our retirement plan. Somewhere that we can retreat after we're done tourin' full time and are ready to take a step back from the business. A place where we can spend time with our grandkids and just be together the two of us." Rayna explained.

"This is ours?" Deacon asked to be sure he was understanding her correctly.

"This is ours. Well, actually it's yours. The deed is in your name. Think of it as a wedding present and a thank you for moving to Belle Meade even though I know you didn't want to. This is three hundred and eighty acres of some the most beautiful land in Tennessee." Rayna bit her lip.

"I don't even know what to say to that. I don't know what to say at all." Deacon was stunned never in a million years had he expected her to do something like this.

"Is this not the right one? Do you not like it?" Rayna was starting to worry that this wasn't what he wanted. She's taken a big risk buying the land the way she had. She wasn't sure if she had somehow emasculated him without meaning to.

"Babe, I love it. I can't believe you did all of this for me." Deacon broke out in a grin.

"Deacon, you bought me two houses. You bought me the East Nashville house and you bought me the cabin. It was my turn to buy you somethin'." Rayna wrapped her arms around his neck.

"Well, babe, you did it on a really grand scale. I don't have words to express how much this means to me." Deacon put his hands on her hips.

"I'm just glad you like it. I didn't know if you would or not." Rayna smiled up at him.

"I always like it when you do nice things for me. You are the best, babe." Deacon leaned down and kissed her.

"And you haven't been absolutely amazing to me the whole time I've known you? It's not lost on me just how much you've done for me over the years. I don't know where I'd be without you, babe." Rayna stared into his eyes.

"You'd probably be a hell of a lot better off without me that's for sure." Deacon brushed her cheek with the back of his hand.

"That's not true at all. You make me so happy and I don't care what anyone else thinks about that." Rayna laid her head on his shoulder.

"You make me happy too. I don't think I've said it yet, but thank you for takin' Scarlett in. You have no idea how much that means to me." Deacon replied.

"Like I was gonna let her end up anywhere, but with us. I just wanna see that little girl loved and taken care of. It's not like we've never done it before anyway. You know how much I've always loved her. That's part of the reason I knew it would be ok to tell you 'bout Maddie. You've always been so good with Scarlett. Both our girls are extremely lucky to have you." Rayna hugged him tight.

"I'm lucky to have all three of my girls. I ain't ever gonna screw up what we have goin'." Deacon squeezed her back.

"You know earlier you said that we left our month old baby with my sister. We actually have a six-week old baby. I just got the all clear at my OB appointment yesterday." Rayna toyed with the buttons on Deacon's shirt.

"So it's safe for us to have sex again?" Deacon grinned.

"Mhmm, that's what my doctor says." Rayna kissed his neck.

"If you haven't noticed there ain't exactly no comfortable place to do it out here and we didn't bring the truck." Deacon pointed out to her.

"There are blankets in the trunk of the car. Your wife had sense enough to plan ahead. Why don't you go get them?" Rayna squeezed his ass.

"You had this planned." Deacon stole a kiss from her before he headed to the car to grab the blankets.

"When are you gonna realize that I always have a plan?" Rayna asked him when he came back.

"I know you do." Deacon spread out the blankets on the ground.

Rayna bit her lip. "Good, you finally figured out I'm smarter than you."

"I don't know 'bout all that, but you do have some damn fine ideas." Deacon took his shirt off.

Rayna put her hands on his chest and then ran them all over his sculpted torso. "Have I told you how much I love what your workout regimen has done to your body?"

"I think you've mentioned that a time or two." Deacon flexed a little. "Now, I think it's time to stop talkin'." He pulled her to him and kissed her deeply. He unbuttoned her shirt and pushed it off her shoulders. "God, you're so damn beautiful." His voice was almost reverent as he spoke.

"So are you." Rayna kissed all the way down his chest and over his abs to the top of his pants. She unbuckled his belt and unsnapped his jeans.

Deacon pulled her to her feet and kissed her while he unhooked her bra. His lips trailed down her neck and to her chest.

"Easy, babe, those are your daughter's right now." Rayna winced a little when he licked her nipple.

"I'm sorry, baby. I don't wanna hurt ya." Deacon kissed down her stomach.

"I don't know how you find me attractive at all. I know I haven't gotten all the baby weight off yet." Rayna tried her best just to concentrate on his touch and not think too much.

"Baby, you will always be the most beautiful woman in the world to me. You always have been." Deacon unsnapped her pants. He laid her back on the blanket gently and started to make out with her.

Rayna wrapped her arms around his neck and her legs around his waist. "I've missed this so much."

"Me too," Deacon toed his boots off and worked his pants down. He ground his still clothed member against the crotch of his wife's jeans.

"Get me undressed." Rayna lifted her hips to give him the freedom to get her pants and underwear down.

Deacon pushed his boxers down. "Ray, are you sure? I don't wanna hurt you."

"I'm sure, babe. You won't hurt me." Rayna cupped his cheek.

"You let me know if I do." Deacon took her hand and kissed her palm.

"I promise I will." Rayna nodded her head in a signal that it was ok for him to continue.

Deacon sank into her slowly, but at a steady pace to keep from hurting her.

Rayna felt a brief moment of pain when he entered her and stretched her for the first time in weeks. She closed her eyes tightly and held on to him for dear life. It felt like it had eleven years ago when he'd deflowered her. It didn't quite hurt it was just more a feeling of discomfort because he was so big.

"You ok?" Deacon saw the expression on her face and grew concerned.

"Doesn't hurt any worse than it did the first time just give me a minute." Rayna kissed him and whispered against his lips.

"Let me know when you're ready." Deacon leaned his forehead against hers. He just held her close to him so she would feel safe and comforted.

Rayna took his face in her hands and kissed him deeply. She put her lips against his ear and whispered. "Make love to me, baby. I'm so ready for you."

Deacon started to rock his hips slowly careful not to hurt her any more than he already had.

After a moment Rayna started to move her hips in time with his.

Deacon took that as a sign to thrust a little faster.

"It's ok, babe. You don't have to be easy with me I ain't gonna break." Rayna stared into his eyes and kissed him.

Deacon threaded his fingers in her hair while they kissed. "God, baby, you feel so good."

"I've missed bein' with you like this so much." Rayna murmured. She could already feel herself getting close to the edge.

Deacon could tell by the change in her breathing how close she was. He put his hand between them and used his thumb to rub her clit. "It's ok, Ray, you can come for me. I'm right here."

Rayna's back arched up off the ground and she grabbed a fistful of his hair as she came with a loud moan.

Deacon held her close while she rode out her orgasm. "I love you so much, baby, you are my world."

"I love you too." Rayna kissed him passionately.

The intensity of Deacon's thrusts picked up now that he knew for sure that she had adjusted to him. They were both a lot less gentle with each other this time around. It wasn't long before they both came together.

"I would say that I can't believe we just did that if it weren't totally in character for us." Deacon laughed and pulled his boots on.

"That was classic us right there. I hope you don't think that sex is gonna get boring now." Rayna put her boots on as well.

"Darlin', I don't ever think that'll happen. That's the last thing that we ever have to worry 'bout." Deacon leaned into her side.

Rayna broke out in an uncontrollable giggling fit.

"What's so damn funny?" Deacon's eyes crinkled up with laughter.

"I just had sex with someone's daddy." Rayna didn't know why, but the thought was absolutely hilarious to her.

"You would think of that. If that's the case, then I just had sex with someone's momma." Deacon shook his head at her.

"You're damn good for a dad." Rayna teased him.

"You're pretty damn good for a momma." Deacon teased back.

"We better get going. We need to pick Scarlett up from school. This is her last week before summer vacation and then we need to figure out what we are gonna do with her." Rayna replied.

"I know. We will get it figured out, babe. We always do." Deacon leaned over and stole a kiss from her.

* * *

"Hey, Buck, I'd say that I'm surprised to see you here, but I'm not." Rayna wasn't shocked at all to find her manager at her house. "Scarlett, run on up to your room and get out of your school clothes. Then you can come back down and tell Aunt Tandy about school and see Maddie." She ushered Scarlett up to her room.

"Ok, Aunt Ray." Scarlett started to head to the stairs. She stopped to kiss Maddie on the head. "Hi, Baby Maddie." She scampered off.

"She loves her baby sister." Deacon smiled proudly.

"I'm here for a reason and it wasn't to see your sister. You've been out for six weeks with the baby and we need to start thinking about a long term plan. Edgehill is putting a little bit of pressure on us to give them a game plan." Bucky explained.

"Are they pushing for another tour already? I just got off of a year and a half long tour last August. What do they want? I could back out on a short tour, but I really need to work on a new album. I can tour all I want to, but I need to have some new material ready to go." Rayna sighed.

"They are understanding of the fact that you may not want to tour right this minute. But they were in hopes that you wouldn't mind getting back into the studio this week. They want you to record a duet with Riff Bell. You're both tearing up the charts. They think you two would be a good fit together." Bucky explained to her.

"Set it up, Bucky, the last thing I want is them on my case. It won't kill me to be out of the house for the time it takes me to record a song. It'd be nice to have money comin' in from somethin' other than my old album sales. Let me know what they say." Rayna replied.

"I was hoping you would say that. I love it when you're easy to deal with." Bucky breathed a sigh of relief.

"I'm almost always easy for you to deal with. Deacon is the one who deals with the majority of my mood swings." Rayna corrected him.

"It doesn't mean the rest of us don't have to deal with your bad moods too he just catches the brunt of them." Bucky ran his hand through his thinning hair.

"I have no comment on the grounds that it might get me in trouble." Deacon cleared his throat.

"You're a smart man in that respect. At least you have good sense about something." Tandy quipped.

"Listen to that, Ray. I think she's finally startin' to warm up to me." Deacon batted his eyelashes at Tandy.

"Honey, you better behave yourself." Rayna cautioned him.

"Do I even wanna ask what you two were up to while you had me watching my niece all afternoon?" Tandy ignored Deacon's comment.

"Tandy, please don't ask them that question in front of me. I already know way more than I want to about their private matters." Bucky blushed and looked down at the floor.

"Bucky, I apologize for my sister. She was raised to be a lady, but she fell in with the tramp. The rest of it is kind of history." Tandy shrugged her shoulders.

"Tandy, knock it off." Rayna rolled her eyes.

"I was just joking." Tandy waved her hand around to say that it didn't matter.

"You're just joking will end up with you two in a real fight. I would like to avoid that if at all possible." Rayna gave her a harsh look.

Deacon went over to where Maddie was in her baby swing and picked her up. "There's my girl. Did you have fun while momma and daddy were gone?" He kissed both her cheeks.

Maddie smiled big at him.

"There's daddy's smile. That's only one of my most favorite things to see in the world. Yes, it is." Deacon cooed at her.

"I can't wrap my head around that. I always knew that he'd be a good father I just never thought he'd live to see it." Bucky commented.

"Buck, truthfully there was a minute there when I doubted him too, but he's more than proven himself." Rayna smiled pride shining in her eyes.

"You ready for a diaper change and a bottle? I will change your diaper, but I think Sissy wants to give you your baba." Deacon laid her out across the couch and changed her diaper. "There we go all dry."

"Does he always just change her wherever?" Tandy asked.

"The changing table is all the way upstairs. Sometimes it takes too much energy to go up there." Rayna replied.

"And I just don't see the point as long as she isn't really messy. Then I'll take her upstairs. You wouldn't believe the things that come out of this pretty little girl." Deacon chuckled.

Scarlett came bouncing down the steps. "I can feed her now? You promised."

"You can feed her now. She's ready for you. You just sit down on the couch." Rayna patted where she wanted her to sit.

Scarlett sat down and held her arms out. "I'm ready too."

Deacon settled Maddie in Scarlett's arms. "There's the baby and here is her bottle." He handed the bottle to her. "You are all set. You know what to do from here."

"I got it, Uncle Deac." Scarlett put the bottle in Maddie's mouth.

"Look at that, Ray. Both our girls are together." Deacon smiled from ear to ear.

"I see that and it's pretty damn amazing." Rayna smiled back at him.

* * *

"Rayna, I gotta tell ya you look damn fine for a woman who just had a baby." Riff greeted Rayna with open arms when she came into the studio to record with him.

Rayna hugged him and brushed her lips against his cheek. "Flattery will get you absolutely nowhere with me. As a matter of fact, it might get your ass kicked by my husband."

Riff pulled back from her and laughed. "Where is Freakin' Deacon anyway?"

"I left him sleeping on the couch with Maddie. We will see how long they last at home until he gets bored." Rayna chuckled. "So, do you wanna go over this song with me so we can get started?"

"Sure let's do it. You know they drug this song up and I couldn't nail it by myself. You were the first person that I thought of. We've come up in this business together and you're just 'bout the only person who can help me do it justice." Riff leaned up against the wall casually.

"I sure do appreciate that, Riff. I think just as highly of you." Rayna smiled fondly.

"Ain't no need for you to compliment me. You're the one doin' me a favor here. I hate draggin' you away from your new little one like this. I know what it's like durin' those first few weeks. You don't wanna leave 'em, but you'll go nuts if you don't get two minutes alone." Riff replied.

"That's how I feel right now for sure." Rayna agreed with that.

Riff shuffled some papers around. "Here's the song. I figured you'd probably wanna run through it a couple of times before we went in to record it."

"Yeah, that'd be great. I'm a little rusty the last thing I sang was a lullaby. My husband doesn't exactly believe in those. Johnny Cash in bedtime music to him. Of course Maddie loves it. What else did I really expect?" Rayna looked the lyrics over.

"Has he branched out into Willie and Waylon yet? I have some recommendations for him." The corner of Riff's mouth turned up in a smile.

"Do me a favor and don't give him any ideas, Riff. He does fine all by himself." Rayna shook her head, but she was laughing.

"Rayna, I was thinkin' that maybe we could end that bridge strong together just kinda blend our voices together. What do you think?" Riff put his headphones around his neck.

"We have to pause and then take the last word of the bridge then, because I'm good, but not even I am that good. I need to take a breath after holdin' that note for so long." Rayna took her headphones off.

"No shit? You think I can go right for a long note after holdin' that note like that?" Riff laughed.

"You do not have to be fuckin' smart ass, Riff Bell." Rayna slapped his arm playfully.

"You wouldn't know how to handle me if I were any other way, Rayna Jaymes." Riff's eyes sparkled with laughter.

"Riff, you best stop bein' in there actin' like you're puttin' the moves on my girl." Deacon's voice came from the other side of the booth.

Maddie let out a little whine from the carrier that was strapped to Deacon's chest.

"That's my husband and baby." Rayna smiled. "Deacon, what are you doing here?"

"We wanted to come see momma work. And we were thinkin' that it's 'bout time for a break." Deacon replied.

Rayna looked at Riff. "That alright with you?"

"We gotta stop to eat anyway. We may as well stop now." Riff pulled a flask out of his back pocket and drank from it.

"Thanks, Riff." Rayna chuckled at him.

"No problem. You're the one doin' me a solid here." Riff took another pull off his flask.

"Does your wife know that you drink your lunch?" Rayna arched her eyebrow at him.

"No. What my wife doesn't know won't hurt me. And what she does know I wish she didn't." Riff opened the door to the booth.

"I'm sure that's how Deacon feels about me." Rayna teased.

"You're puttin' words in my mouth on my behalf." Deacon had Maddie in his arms now.

"There's not much you do that I don't know about because we are always together. Oh, let me see my girl." Rayna lifted Maddie up and kissed her cheeks. "Hi, baby girl, momma has missed you so much."

"She's missed you too. Not as much as I missed you when she had the worst dirty diaper that I've ever seen though." Deacon replied.

"I'm glad that I missed out on that one. I wanted no part of it from the sounds of it." Rayna put her arm around his waist. "Can you say hi to Riff, Maddie?"

"Hi, Maddie, if you don't look like your daddy I don't know who does. You are just cute as a button. You take that from your momma. You need to thank her for that when you're older." Riff tickled Maddie under her chin.

"You make nice with her, Riff." Deacon teased him.

"I am bein' nice to her. This is why I'm so glad I don't have daughters. They say it brings the cray out in a man." Riff punched his shoulder in a show of manly affection.

"It's true. The thought of her growin' and ever fallin' for a guy like me scares the hell outta me." Deacon couldn't argue on that point.

"You two can stand here and do this for hours I'm aware of that. I'm gonna go to lunch just Maddie and Me." Rayna looked between them.

"Alright, babe, I'm comin'. I can't be hangin' out with this degenerate anyway it's bad for my sobriety." Deacon wrapped his arm around her shoulders.

"You're a clown, babe." Rayna laughed and leaned her head against his shoulder.

* * *

A/N: Here's the next chapter. I hope you guys enjoyed it. Until next time please review.


	10. Chapter 10

A/N: Thanks to all my reviewers.

* * *

Chapter 10

"Knock-knock, can we come in?" Deacon stood in the doorway of Rayna's dressing room with Maddie in his arms and Scarlett standing beside him.

"There's my man and my girls." Rayna smiled brightly. She was giving her first concert since she'd given birth.

"We're finally here. sorry that we kept ya waitin'. I had to get these two little ladies ready." Deacon replied.

"That's fine, babe. I needed some time alone with my people to get ready anyway. You have a tendency to be a little underfoot while I'm gettin' my stage face on. You take no time at all to get ready." Rayna pecked his lips lightly. "Now, let me get a good look at you girls. You are both so pretty tonight."

"Thank you, Aunt Ray." Scarlett smiled sweetly.

"You are so welcome. You are gonna stand on the side of the stage with Uncle Bucky tonight. And Aunt Tandy is gonna come sit in here with Maddie. I think you're really gonna like it." Rayna smiled back at her.

Deacon went to the clothes rack where his stage clothes hung and grabbed a pair of jeans and a t-shirt. He changed into them quickly. "And I'm ready."

"Do you think you can go make sure that the rest of the band is ready?" Rayna asked him.

"I'll go get with the rest of the guys if you can handle the girls on your own for a while." Deacon replied.

"I've got them under control. They are both better behaved than the guys in the band. Is Vince here?" Rayna reassured him.

"Vince is here. He's eager to get back to work. And he's happy to be back." Deacon answered.

"Good, I'll see you in a few then." Rayna stole a kiss from him.

"I'll be back soon." Deacon smiled against her lips.

"Go make sure that your best friend is behaving." Rayna laughed.

"You know that he doesn't know the meaning of that word." Deacon chuckled.

"I know, but there is always hope." Rayna retorted.

 **XXXXXXXXXX**

"Ya'll, I can't tell you how good it is to be back on this stage again. I love my brand new baby girl, but bein' up here gives me a thrill that can't anythin' replace." Rayna addressed the crowd after she'd played a few songs. "Now I know it's no secret that I've been in this business a long time and I have a few friends in this town. So, if ya'll could help me welcome to the stage Mr. Riff Bell."

Riff stepped out on the stage and kissed Rayna's cheek. "Rayna, what do you say we play this song for 'em?"

"I say let's do it, Riff." Rayna smiled.

"Let's hit it then." Riff winked at her.

Deacon played the opening chords of the song.

" _Honey, I know you got a good job. Out there makin' all that dough. They keep you late workin' that overtime and I don't ever see you no more. I guess you're not checkin' your message machine. Seems like you're never in. Oh, but I got a hunch if we could just do lunch I could get your attention again. I know you got your schedule and you're keepin' it tight. You got somethin' goin' mornin', noon, and night. Oh, but I got somethin' that I think you're gonna like. Honey, can you squeeze me in?"_ Riff sang the first verse.

" _Whoever said it's a man's world don't know what he's talkin' about. You got me workin' around the clock. Honey tryin' to figure you out. They say time is money, but there's more to life honey than how much you can spend. You gotta make a little time for the good times. Honey, can you squeeze me in?"_ Rayna sang the chorus with him.

" _I got it circled in red on the calendar, baby. You told me that tonight's the night. I got the champagne chilled. I've got a gourmet meal soft music and candlelight. I try to get you on the phone and I get stuck on hold. I guess you keep gettin' sidetracked. I've been faxin' you love notes all day long, but you don't ever fax me back. I know you got your schedule and you're keepin' it tight. You got somethin' goin' mornin' noon and night. Oh, but I got somethin' that I think you're gonna like. Honey, can you squeeze me in?"_ Rayna took the next verse.

" _Whoever said it's a man's world sure knows what he's talkin' about. You got me workin' around the clock. Honey, tryin' to figure you out. They say time is money, but there's more to life honey than how much you can spend. You gotta make a little time for the good times. Honey, can you squeeze me in?"_

Deacon played the guitar solo for them.

" _Whoever said it's a man's world don't know what he's talkin' about. You got me workin' around the clock. Honey tryin' to figure you out. They say time is money, but there's more to life honey, thank how much you can spend. You gotta make a little time for the good times. Honey, can you squeeze me in? Let's make a little time for the good times. Honey, can you squeeze me in?"_ They finished the song together.

"Ya'll make some noise for Mr. Riff Bell, ladies and gentlemen." Rayna clapped her hands.

"Thank you for sharin' your stage with me, Rayna. I understand that that's kinda hard for a diva like you." Riff ribbed her.

"Riff, you've known me just 'bout long enough to know what I'm capable of doin' to you." Rayna played along.

"We both know that you won't lift a finger you'll get your attack dog to do it for ya." Riff winked.

"I married my attack dog I don't even have to ask him to go after people anymore he does it on his own." Rayna winked back.

"That brings me to another thing." Riff grinned. "Ladies and gentleman, it is my pleasure to present to you for the first time together on stage as a married couple Mr. Deacon Claybourne and Ms. Rayna Jaymes."

The crowd erupted with applause and Vince banged on his drums.

Deacon stepped over to Rayna and put his arm around her.

"Now, you just give me this guitar. Let's get a couple of stools for you two to sit on." Riff took Deacon's guitar and a stage hand brought two stool out.

"Riff, what are you up to?" Rayna looked at him confused.

"Vince and I thought it was only fittin' that you two sing your little theme song together without Deacon havin' to play guitar. Just this once ya'll can get all up close and personal." Riff explained.

"Well, I don't see what'll hurt." Deacon moved two mic stands in front of the stools and sat down. He held out his hand to Rayna.

Rayna took his hand and sat down next to him. "If we are gonna do this ya'll better start playing."

Riff started to play the opening notes to the song.

" _Don't you try to tell me someone's waitin' there not waitin' for you. Oh and don't you try to tell me that you're wanted that you're needed cause it's not true. I know why you're lonely. It's time you knew it too."_ Rayna stared at Deacon as she sang.

" _No one will ever love you. No one will ever love you. No one will ever love you like I do."_ Deacon sang the chorus with her. He stared back into her eyes.

" _Why you always lookin' for the limelight ain't you satisfied with me? Oh for once why don't you get down off your high heels? You're no big deal can't you see? I know why you're lonely. It's time you knew it too."_ Deacon put his free hand on his wife's knee.

" _No one will ever love you. No one will ever love you. No one will ever love you like I do."_

" _I'm all you got."_ Rayna didn't dare break the magic that their stare created.

" _I'm all you'll ever need."_ Deacon put every bit of his emotions into that line.

" _I'm all you'll ever have."_ Rayna and Deacon squeezed each other's hands.

" _No one will ever love you. No one will ever love you. No one will ever love you like I do. Like I do. Like I do."_

When they finished singing Deacon leaned over and kissed Rayna softly on the lips. The crowd went wild for that. Those two had a chemistry together that just couldn't be replicated.

* * *

"Come here, precious girl. I know life is just so hard for you." Rayna picked Maddie up out of her bassinet. The whining noises that she had been making stopped instantly. "Your daddy has you so spoiled already." She walked over to where Scarlett in front of the tv and pulled on ponytail gently. "How's it goin' this mornin', sweet pea?"

"It's goin' good. Uncle Deac just left that's why Maddie was fussin'. He put her down and she didn't like it." Scarlett replied.

"He will be back soon. He had something that he needed to go take care of." Rayna sat down on the couch. She was intentionally vague about what Deacon was doing. Eventually they would have to tell the girls about his drinking problem, but she wanted to wait until they were older and could understand.

A loud knock sounded on the front door.

"Sweetie, that's Uncle Bucky. Can you go answer that?" Rayna groaned. Her manager had called a short time before and said that he needed to talk to her. Any time that he needed to talk to her that early in the day it was going to be something complicated.

"I've got it." Scarlett ran to open the door.

"Hey, Scarlett, it's good to see you." Bucky smiled down at her.

"Hi, Uncle Bucky. Aunt Ray is in the livin' room." Scarlett led the way.

"Hey, Buck, what do you got for me today?" Rayna had Maddie laid over her shoulder rubbing her back.

"It's good news. The label loves the new song with Riff. It's burning up the charts. They want you working on another album, but first they want you to do a small tour. It would be maybe a ten city type deal just to get some hype going for a new album and they can drive up ticket prices that way." Bucky answered her.

"They want me on the road and in the studio. When do they expect me to sleep? I have an almost nine-year-old and a newborn. And I can't just leave them with my husband because he is my bandleader." Rayna ran her hand through her hair.

"I can look into getting a nanny or something to take on the road with you if you want me to. In addition to telling you the ugly truth and being your confidant it's also my job to make your life easier." Bucky replied.

"Buck, that is somethin' I'm gonna have to discuss with him before I can even think about it. Then we have to write at least three new songs to give them just a little taste of the album." Rayna sighed.

"Whatever you need from me you've got you know that." Bucky told her.

"You do more for me than any other manager out there. I really do appreciate you, Buck. I know that Deacon and I have put you through a lot over the years. I can't promise you that we are ever gonna be any less messy, but we should be better from now on." Rayna looked down to make sure that Maddie was ok.

"I'm used to it. I don't expect anything, but chaos from the two of you." Bucky laughed.

"That's a pretty safe bet. The only thing is you won't have to deal with any more drunken antics." Rayna reassured him and herself. She had all the faith in the world in Deacon's commitment to his sobriety. She just couldn't help being scared that his demons would rear their head again.

"I will get out of your hair then. I'm gonna get things set up with the label and I will get back to you." Bucky turned to leave.

"That sounds good to me. Thanks, Buck." Rayna smiled at him.

"No problem, Ray. You'll be hearing from me soon." Bucky waved before he walked out the door.

* * *

"You better stop it." Rayna giggled. She was laying on the bed underneath Deacon.

"Stop what? I ain't doin' nothin'." Deacon kissed on her neck.

"We do not have time for this. That sweet baby girl only naps for so long and Scarlett is up playing." Rayna ran her hands up and down his chest. She didn't really make an effort to push him away.

"I think that they will be ok. We can be quick about this." Deacon kissed the spot behind her ear that he knew she couldn't resist.

Rayna stopped the pretense of putting up any resistance and wrapped her arms around his neck. "Make it really quick."

"I can do that." Deacon kissed her deeply.

Rayna threaded her fingers through his hair. She laughed softly and rested her forehead against his when there was a knock on their door. "I told you so."

Deacon rolled off the top of her and laughed. "Come in."

Scarlett came into the room with tears in her eyes holding her scraped up knee.

"Hey you, what's the matter?" Deacon jumped to his feet.

"I fell down and scraped my knee." Scarlett's bottom lip was poked out.

"I'll go get a band aid and some medicine outta of the bathroom." Rayna got up.

"Come here you." Deacon picked Scarlett up and held her close to him. "It's ok, it's gonna be ok." He rubbed her back.

"Daddy, it hurts." Scarlett laid her head on his shoulder.

Rayna stooped in her tracks and turned to look at Deacon with an arched eyebrow. She had expected that just not so soon.

Deacon smiled a little. "Daddy's got you. You're gonna be ok." He made soft shushing noises in her ear.

"Alright, I've got a band aid and the medicine let me see." Rayna came back into the room.

"Let's sit down here and let her get a good look." Deacon sat on the edge of the bed with Scarlett perched on his knee.

Rayna cleaned off her knee and put some antibiotic ointment on the scrape before she covered it with the band aid. "There you go all better." She kissed her knee.

"Thank you, momma." Scarlett said gratefully.

Rayna smiled up at her teary eyed. "You're welcome, baby girl."

Deacon took Scarlett's shoes off for her and laid her in the middle of the bed. He picked up the remote and turned on the tv. "Now, you just lay here in the middle of momma and daddy's bed and rest." He laid down beside her.

"I'll be right back." Rayna walked to the nursery and brought Maddie back into the master bedroom. She laid the baby on Deacon's chest. "Take your other girl, daddy." She got into bed on the other side of Scarlett.

"Now I've got all three of my girls." Deacon smiled. He didn't know what he'd done right enough to deserve all of this, but he was really happy.

"All three of your girls are really lucky to have you." Rayna smiled back.

"I'm lucky to have ya'll." Deacon replied.

"So, Bucky talked to the label today. They want a ten city tour and a new album. That means you and I have to get to work." Rayna told him.

"I don't have an issue with that." Deacon rubbed Maddie's back.

"That means we need to talk about what we're gonna do with these girls while we're working." Rayna broached the subject with him.

"From the sounds of it we are gonna need a babysitter." Deacon stated the obvious.

"I'd come to that conclusion too. It's just with who we are we have to be careful trusting just anyone with these girls. I mean there has to be an agency or something that we can go through." Rayna retorted.

"Or we can go the easiest route and go with someone that we know and can trust." Deacon suggested.

"Who did you have in mind? Because Tandy and my daddy are both out of the question. Not only are they both extremely busy, but I wouldn't want to subject them to daddy. He can be rather extreme at times." Rayna gave it some thought.

"I was thinkin' along the lines of my momma." Deacon told her.

"Do you think she would do it? I mean she has other things to worry about." Rayna worded that in a way where she didn't have to mention Beverly's name.

"The only thing I can do is ask. I don't think she'll say no, but if she does we can think about that then." Deacon replied.

"Make the call. I much rather your momma watch them than some stranger." Rayna jumped on board that idea.

* * *

"Daddy, how much longer are we gonna have to stand here?" Scarlett looked up at Deacon.

"Just a few more minutes. I know that you've gotta be tired of standin' here. You and your sister have been so good." Deacon pulled her against his side.

"That's because baby sister has been asleep this whole time." Rayna looked down in the stroller to check on Maddie. She saw that she was starting to stir so she picked her up.

"Scarlett, watch that door right there. It's gettin' ready to open." Deacon pointed to the door.

"I'm watchin'." Scarlett replied.

A few minutes later June walked through the door and walked over to them.

"Mawmaw!" Scarlett explained. She had been with June her whole life and she missed her even more than she missed Beverly.

"Scarlett, look at you. You're gettin' so big and so beautiful." June hugged her to her.

"I missed you so much, mawmaw." Scarlett hugged her back.

"And there's my Maddie." June tickled the baby under her chin.

"She just woke up so you're catching her in a semi good mood. She'll get happier the more alert she gets." Rayna handed her over.

"She's a brooder just like her daddy. He looked like this as baby made the same faces and everythin'." June kissed Maddie's head.

"Deacon, go get your momma's bags for her." Rayna told her.

"I've got 'em." Deacon assured her.

"Momma, you promised." Scarlett looked up at Rayna.

"I know I promised. We are gonna head that way while daddy gets mawmaw's bags. You have been so good and so patient. I know that you're hot and thirsty, Bug." Rayna turned back to Deacon. "Babe, I'm gonna have a riot on my hands if I don't get this one somethin' to drink and God knows that I'm thirsty too. So, take the bags out to the car and meet us at the food court."

"I can do that." Deacon leaned over and pecked her lips.

"See you over there, baby." Rayna smiled against his lips.

June laid Maddie back in her stroller. "There you go, baby girl."

"Scarlett, you can walk ahead if you stay by the stroller and keep an eye on your sister." Rayna told Scarlett.

"Ok, momma." Scarlett agreed.

"She seems to be adjustin' just fine. That makes me happy. I knew that this was the best place for her." June smiled.

"She fits in just fine with the rest of the crazies around here. She's a good girl. A good big sister, a good student, and a good daughter." Rayna's voice held a hint of pride. "Scarlett, you need to show mawmaw your report card when we get home."

"I will." Scarlett chirped happily.

"I can't wait to see it." June replied. "She's a lot better off here that's for sure."

"We're doing the absolute best we can for her. She doesn't seem to have any lasting damage done to her. She's gonna be just fine. We are gonna see to that. Her daddy already has her spoiled rotten. Actually he has both of them spoiled rotten. Well, all three of us if I'm bein' honest." Rayna kept pushing Maddie's stroller.

"I always knew that he'd be a good daddy. With as protective as he is he was born to have daughters." June put her hand on Rayna's shoulder.

"I wanna talk to you while Deacon is busy. I know that you have stuff back in Mississippi that's important, but I was really hoping that you'd consider sticking around here for a little while or maybe forever if you wanted." Rayna broached the subject keeping her voice low.

"It's really somethin' for me to think 'bout anyway." June didn't say yes, but she didn't say no either.

Deacon met them in the food court fifteen minutes later. "Momma, did you pack most of everythin' you own or what? You had enough bags for it."

"I was thinkin' that I'd stick around for a while if that's alright with you. If that works out I was thinkin' that I could stay a little more permanently." June answered him.

"You're more than welcome here for as long as you wanna be here. I won't ask 'bout other things as long as you know what you're doin'." Deacon gave her a measured reply.

"They both have a mean streak that's two miles wide. One of them is better and the other one is never gonna get any better. I've done everythin' that I can for both of 'em. I figured I might as well come where I'm needed and where I can be happy. I'm still a relatively young woman and it's not too late for me to start over." June replied.

"Whatever you want or whatever you need we are here to support you." Rayna reached over and took her hand.

"I know that. I wanna be 'round to see my granddaughters grow up. If I stay in Natchez that's not gonna happen." June said.

"I take it that he's back." Deacon arched his eyebrow.

"Meaner and angrier than ever. And it just hit me that doesn't have to be my life anymore. I can do anythin' or be anythin' I don't have to be stuck there anymore." June replied.

"You came to the right place then. Between me and your son we know more than enough people in this town to get you set up with somethin'." Rayna smiled happily.

"Alright, ya'll ready to get outta here?" Deacon asked.

"More than ready. I think you and I have some work we need to get done and these two are gonna wanna spend some time with their mawmaw." Rayna stood up.

"It'd be nice to get settled in after that plane ride." June agreed.

"Alright, who wants to walk with daddy?" Deacon offered his hand to Scarlett.

"I do, daddy." Scarlett put her little hand in his.

"Would you believe that she's actually a momma's girl?" Deacon laughed.

"I would believe that. She's not used to havin' a momma that pays attention to her." June retorted.

"Come on, ya'll, let's get on home." Rayna started pushing Maddie's stroller.

"I ain't gotta be told twice. I already been out of the house longer than I wanna be today." Deacon was a little bit of a homebody.

"You've just got all kinda plans today. I know that you and Vince are goin' out tonight too." Rayna looked over her shoulder at him.

"It's not goin' out like we used to do when we were drinkin'. We are actually just goin' to a writers' round. We should be home early for a change. He has some emergency that he wants to talk to me about too or somethin'. I guess we will see what it is when I talk to him. I probably don't wanna know with him." Deacon shrugged his shoulders.

"You'll take care of it if it's one of his manageable messes you always do." Rayna gave him some reassurance.

"Like I said. I probably don't wanna know." Deacon sighed and shook his head.

* * *

A/N: Here is the next chapter. I hope you guys enjoyed it. I think in another chapter or two I am gonna shift to season one. I have a lot of twists planned. I hope you like what I have in store. Until next time please review.


	11. Chapter 11

A/N: Thanks to all my reviewers.

* * *

Chapter 11

Deacon swirled his straw around his tea and looked over at Vince. "Vinny, you can start talkin' any time now, brother. I have a wife, two daughters, and mother waitin' on me at home."

Vince lit a cigarette and took a long drag off it. He blew the smoke out of his nose. The process gave him a minute to collect his thoughts. He took a picture out of his shirt pocket and laid it down on the bar. "That's the issue. I have no idea how to handle this."

Deacon picked up the picture and studied it. "That's a baby." He observed.

"Apparently, it's my baby." Vince took another drag off his cigarette.

"What? How is that possible? I thought that you were careful. The last time that I checked you were too busy on a bender to have had time to go spreadin' pollen." Deacon slid the picture back over to him.

"Amy is his mother. I don't think I have to explain my long complicated history with her to you. Him and Maddie are pretty close in age." Vince put the picture back in his pocket.

"Does he have a name?" Deacon asked.

"Royal Vincent Jameson. She gave him my last name. It's Amy I'm inclined to believe her. She's not like all the other skanks that I've slept with. She wouldn't lie to me 'bout this. And I mean you saw the picture. I can't deny that he looks like me. I just don't know what to do in this situation. I'm barely sober I just started takin' care of myself. How am I supposed to take care of someone who is completely dependent on me for everythin'?" Vince answered him.

"The first thing that you do is get a DNA test. I know that this is Amy and she would be more likely to lie and tell you that he's not yours. It would save her a whole lot of hassle. My gut tells me that this is your son. I have no doubt 'bout it. Just do the test to be on the safe side. You don't wanna have that little bit of doubt creep up every time you look at him." Deacon advised him.

"I don't wanna be the asshole that asks her for a DNA test and basically accuses her of bein' a whore. I wanna take her word for this. After everythin' that I've put her through she deserves a little understandin' from me." Vince shook his head.

"Vince, you've been away from home for so long that I think you've forgotten who you are. You may have shed your family and who you were supposed to be, but that doesn't mean that God forbid should somethin' happen to you that any child fathered by you wouldn't be entitled to your estate. So, you better make damn sure that is actually your son." Deacon tried to reason with him.

"I suppose that would make my daddy very happy. His first son producin' a boy on the first try. If I were to call him right now he would tell me to have the test done. I don't wanna tell him and momma 'til I know for sure and get their hopes up. Like you said it's more likely that she would have lied in the other direction. She knows who I am. I've gotta ask for the test." Vince sighed loudly.

"That's my advice to you, brother." Deacon shrugged his shoulders.

"I'm takin' that advice. You want a cigarette?" Vince pushed the pack down the bar to Deacon.

"No, I go home smellin' like smoke Ray will be checkin' my breath for alcohol and she won't let me hold the baby 'til I shower. It'll be this whole big thing that I don't want to deal with. I should get goin' anyway. I left all my girls home alone together and I'm a little scared of what I'll go home to." Deacon stood up and patted Vince on the back.

"I understand completely. Thank for comin' and for listenin' to me, brother." Vince replied.

"Any time you need me you know that. Don't stay here too long. I don't want you fallin' back into old habits." Deacon warned him.

"I'm a big boy I'll be alright. You ain't gotta worry 'bout me." Vince assured him.

"I will see you later." Deacon left the bar.

* * *

"Hey, babe, you're home earlier than I thought you would be." Rayna was in the living room with June and both the girls when Deacon came home.

"Yeah, Vince needed some hand holdin'. I didn't wanna be gone all night, so I said what I had to say and I came home." Deacon sat down next to her.

"What kinda mess did he get into this time?" Rayna asked.

"Vince is a daddy now. Apparently, he got Amy pregnant. I don't know why she caved and told him, but I don't doubt for a second that this baby is his." Deacon answered her.

"That would explain the leave of absence she took from being my backup singer. It's Amy, babe, there's no way that this baby belongs to anyone other than Vince. She's as hung up on him as I am on you." Rayna laid her head on his shoulder.

"You ain't tellin' me a thing that I don't know." Deacon kissed the top of her head.

Scarlett crawled up into Deacon's lap.

"Ya'll are so cute together." June smiled at them.

Rayna rubbed Scarlett's back when the little girl yawned. "Bug, I think it's time for you to get to bed."

"I'm not tired, momma. I wanna be with mawmaw." Scarlett yawned again.

"Bug, mawmaw is still gonna be here when you get up in the mornin'. I know that you've missed her, but she ain't goin' anywhere." Deacon assured her.

"It's not a school night I get to stay up later." Scarlett argued.

"Oh, little girl, you are barely awake right now. Come on, momma will tuck you in." Rayna stood up and held her arms out.

"I'm not tired." Scarlett shook her head.

"Scarlett, your little eyes are barely open. Let me take you up to bed." June offered her hand to her granddaughter.

"Ok, mawmaw." Scarlett took her hand and rubbed her eyes with her free hand.

"I will be right back." June led Scarlett up the stairs.

"How's the baby? She didn't do anythin' cute while I was gone did she?" Deacon looked over at Maddie.

"She's absolutely perfect. And she's always cute. She takes after her daddy that way." Rayna grinned at her.

"I think she is like her momma." Deacon picked Maddie up and took her into his arms. "Hey, baby girl."

"She says hey daddy I missed you." Rayna rubbed Maddie's belly.

"I missed you too, Princess." Deacon rubbed his nose against hers.

"I can't believe that Vince is a daddy." Rayna commented.

"Vince is a father anyway. It remains to be seen if he will be a daddy. Like we said earlier it's Amy. She has a way of makin' him behave like a normal person." Deacon shrugged. "Yes, Uncle Vinny has a son that's your age. If he comes near you when you get older daddy is gonna punch Uncle Vinny in the balls."

"Deacon John," Rayna giggled.

"What? No little boys better come sniffin' 'round my little girls ever." Deacon arched his eyebrow.

"Good luck with that. Your daddy said the same thing 'bout your sister and you know how that turned out." June came back into the room.

"Might have been better off if he had. Though we wouldn't have Scarlett and that is the most precious little girl I think I've ever met." Deacon lifted Maddie up and kissed her cheek.

"You are just surrounded by women, ain't ya?" June laughed softly.

"I am I'm startin' to think that's my lot in life. To be surrounded by beautiful women." Deacon squeezed Rayna's knee.

"You're gonna be needin' a son to help even things out a little bit." June joked.

"He's gonna be waitin' awhile for that. My label is already on me to get back to work. They might revolt if I get pregnant again right away. I've gotta get at least another tour or two in first." Rayna stopped that idea in its tracks.

"Honey, I don't blame you one little bit. Your body needs a rest." June sat down again.

"Momma, how you settlin' in?" Deacon asked.

"I feel right at home. Ray has taken good care of me. I'm goin' on tour with ya'll and then I'm gonna find a place when I get back. I don't need anythin' too elaborate just somethin' big enough that I can have the girls sleepover sometimes." June replied.

"I'm still on the hook for my apartment. You could try it out and see if you like it. There's also Deacon's old place. You have options. And don't you dare worry about gettin' a job. We need ya free to take care of the girls." Rayna told her.

"I do not want ya'll takin' care of me. I can pull my own weight. I've been doin' it my whole life." June argued.

"Momma, you are just gonna have to not be so damn prideful. I want to take care of you. You worked hard to give me a good life it's my turn to give you a good life." Deacon argued back.

"Ok, if it means so much to you I'll put a pin in it." June relented.

"June, I like havin' you around already. He is much easier to deal with." Rayna smirked.

"Alright, ya'll, you keep up and me the baby will go to the den." Deacon threatened.

"You are not takin' that sweet girl anywhere. As a matter of fact, let me hold her. I haven't got to spend enough time with her." June held her arms out for Maddie.

"Go see your mawmaw." Deacon passed the baby to his mother.

* * *

Rayna and Deacon sat up in the nosebleeds at the Bridgestone. They were kicking her tour off in Nashville.

"You ready for this? Your first big tour since we got married and Maddie was born." Deacon had his hand on Rayna's knee.

Rayna squeezed his hand. "I'm more than ready. I love our life and I love our girls, but I'm so glad to be getting back to work. It's hard to believe that we've been doing this for so long. This feels like a whole new chapter even though it's the same thing we've been doin' since we met."

"Everythin' feels brand new since Maddie was born. It's still the life we've been livin', but it's new to us cause everythin' is new to her. This was inevitable from the moment we met. I knew that we would get here even when it seemed like we wouldn't." Deacon replied.

"Those girls do make everything new and exciting. We get to watch Scarlett come out of her shell more every day. Maddie doesn't do much of anything yet, but the way that she lights up anytime she sees or hears one of us is everything. I never thought when it was just the two of us on the road we could be any happier." Rayna peppered kisses along his jawline.

"You and those girls are my everythin'." Deacon put his fingers under her chin and kissed her lips.

"You are just angling to get laid on that bus tonight." Rayna giggled when he nuzzled her neck with his beard.

"I don't ever have to try too hard. I get plenty of action I don't have to sweet talk ya if I want in your panties." Deacon pulled her onto his lap.

"I love it when you get physical with me like that. You're even sexier with all this muscle that you've put on since you stopped drinkin'." Rayna wrapped her arms around his neck.

"You've mentioned that a time or two. I did extra curls this mornin' just for you." Deacon kissed her again.

"I thought your flannel shirt was huggin' your arms a little tighter." Rayna smiled against his lips and ran her hand through his hair.

"I'm glad you noticed." Deacon laughed.

"We really need to get back to the girls and your momma. If the way my boobs feel is any indication Maddie is gonna wanna eat soon." Rayna grazed her nose against his.

"Mhmm, you sound so sexy when you say things like that." Deacon pulled her closer to him.

"I swear it doesn't matter how old we get I'm always gonna be findin' you two lookin' like you're 'bout to screw." Vince sat down in the row behind his two friends.

"And no matter how old we get you're always gonna be sneakin' up on us actin' like our third wheel." Rayna shot back at him.

"Did you have the damn test done?" Deacon tilted his head back to look at Vince.

"I had the test done and I'm the father. I'm actually someone's daddy and it scares the shit outta me." Vince replied.

"You better have a picture. I need to see Vince Jameson's first child." Rayna teased him.

Vince took the picture out of his wallet. "There he is. Royal Vincent Jameson. We call him Roy for short."

"You didn't need the DNA test he looks just like you, the poor thing. He's so precious that makes me wonder how he came from you. I can't wait to meet him. Is Amy gonna let you bring him out on tour?" Rayna smiled at him.

"Amy said that we would play it by ear, but she would be willin' to come out to a couple tour stops. I take that as a positive sign. I think she's waitin' to make sure that I don't go back to old habits. I can't blame her. I've put her through a lot." Vince replied.

"That's great, brother. I'm happy that you two are workin' things out." Deacon told him.

"I'm pretty happy too. I'm scared outta my mind, but I'm happy. I'm probably gonna find a way to screw this up cause that's what I do best, but I'm willin' to try my best." Vince shrugged his shoulders.

"I hate to break this meeting of the minds up, but Ray I need to come do some press stuff." Bucky walked up.

"How long is it gonna take, Buck?" Rayna looked up at him.

"I don't expect it to take longer than an hour. It could be a little more or a little less." Bucky answered her.

"Alright, I can go an hour before I feed the baby. However, if my boobs start to feel like they are gonna explode you have to get me outta there." Rayna stood up.

"Whatever you need." Bucky just shook his head.

"I'll see you in a little while, babe." Rayna pecked Deacon's lips.

"I'll see you when you're done. I may have to put in the earplugs to block out the tiny noisemaker. She gets mighty testy 'round feedin' time." Deacon smiled.

"You gonna hang out here or are you gonna head home?" Rayna asked.

"We will stick around here. We will wait for you to go get some food. Go, handle the press as masterfully as I know you can." Deacon blew her a kiss.

"See you then, babe." Rayna blew a kiss back to him.

* * *

"Ok, Maddie, you're ok, you're ok. Daddy's got you." Deacon walked the floor of the tour bus with Maddie over his shoulder. "You're just a little fussy. You're not used to this. You'll get used to the bus movin' in no time." He patted her back.

Rayna stumbled out of the bedroom half asleep. "Is she ok?"

"She's a little fuss bucket tonight. I think it's cause the bus is movin'. Though that doesn't make much sense cause she falls asleep every time I put her in the truck. She could just be fussy for no reason. Sometimes a baby just has to let it out." Deacon jiggled the baby gently.

"Want me to try to nurse her?" Rayna offered.

"Or and this is a great idea we open up that pack of pacifiers and give her one. We've toughed it out for a long time I think it's time to give in." Deacon suggested.

"Babe, I don't know." Rayna hemmed and hawed.

"It might soothe her. I don't think we are gonna do irreparable damage to her if we give her a pacifier." Deacon argued.

"And she might become dependent on the damn thing and then we will have a hell of a time gettin' her off it." Rayna made her argument.

"But if she ain't hungry and she just needs somethin' to do with her mouth this could cut out the number of times you have to be awake to nurse her." Deacon knew that would sway his wife.

"We aren't horrible parents are we? We let the older one stay up and party with the band and we're givin' the little one a pacifier." Rayna stressed out.

"I was right there the whole time Scarlett was with the band. We taught her how to play cards and we have known these guys for years. And I don't think that we are gonna screw Maddie up if we let her have a pacifier. Again, let me stress the more sleep part." Deacon reassured her.

"Where did you put those pacifiers when you packed her stuff?" Rayna asked.

"They are in her diaper bag." Deacon answered.

"I'll be right back." Rayna went into their sleeping quarters and retrieved a pacifier. "I got it. Here let me see her."

Deacon took Maddie off his shoulder. "Say hi to your momma. You've been screamin' at daddy for the last hour. She's got somethin' that I think you're gonna like."

"Hi, pumpkin, here you go maybe this'll make you happy." Rayna put the pacifier in Maddie's mouth.

"And we have a quiet baby. Look at how content she is now." Deacon cooed.

"And she's just starin' up at her daddy. She is so taken with you, babe. I think she's as in love with you as you are with her." Rayna rested her chin on his shoulder and smiled down at their daughter. "Hi, pretty girl. You love your daddy don't you? He spent months lovin' on you, talkin' to you, and singin' to you while you were still in momma's belly."

"You're just takin' it all in aren't you, Peanut? Wait 'til you get a little bit bigger. You're gonna love this as much as momma and daddy do. This is how you're gonna grow up get used to it now." Deacon rocked the baby gently.

"And she's almost out again. You have a way with her, babe." Rayna kissed his cheek.

"I'm typically good with women." Deacon grinned teasingly.

"You better watch it you're tryin' to sweet talk the wrong wife." Rayna poked him in the ribs.

"Did I forget I wasn't talkin' to my other wife there for a minute?" Deacon winked at her.

"Honey, you can barely handle me. I don't for a second think that you could juggle two wives." Rayna laughed.

"Baby, I got you I don't need two wives. You're more than one man can handle." Deacon laughed with her.

"You finally get that girl quiet? The last time I heard a woman scream like that I was payin' her by the hour." Vince went to the kitchenette and started looking for something to eat.

"You are disgustin', Vince. I can't believe you just said that." Rayna snorted in disgust.

"I don't know why you let anythin' that he says surprise you. He's really gross. And I happen to know that what he just said is untrue. Vince Jameson doesn't pay for sex it's a known fact. His stupid pride won't allow for it." Deacon explained to her.

"I say whatever bullshit pops into my head. I don't know when you're gonna realize this 'bout me." Vince shrugged his shoulders.

"Maybe you wanna edit yourself now that you're a daddy." Rayna arched her eyebrow at him.

"Nah, I don't see the point in it. My boy is gonna have to learn this stuff from somewhere and I rather it be from me than from someone else." Vince retorted.

"Then watch your mouth in front of my daughter. I don't want her hearin' that stuff." Rayna argued with him.

"She is gonna hear worse than that from her daddy. He's got a mouth on him." Vince pointed out to her.

"Deacon already has to edit himself because of Scarlett. He's used to toning it down some. He's became a little tamer in the last few months. You're the one that I worry about not behaving." Rayna leveled him with a stern glare.

"Ah, hell Scarlett is damn sure used to how rough around the edges we are. You ain't gonna change us." Vince replied.

"I don't think Maddie needs to hear momma and Uncle Vinny goin' for round five thousand in their never endin' battle." Deacon shushed them.

"Now that's another thing that I think Maddie is just gonna have to get used to. Ray and I fight all the time it's what we do." Vince reminded him.

"I know that you two ain't ever gonna get along. I gave up on that happenin' a long time ago. Ain't neither one of ya ever gonna be able to admit when you're wrong." Deacon shook his head.

"It ain't a matter of me not bein' able to admit when I'm wrong it's a matter of the princess always havin' to be right." Vince corrected him.

"How many times and in how many different ways am I gonna have to ask you not to refer to me as the princess? Your family probably has just as much money as mine does." Rayna pushed his shoulder playfully.

"I've disavowed my family's money. I'm just as broke as the Mississippi boy you married." Vince corrected her.

"No, you disavowed your family business not your family's money. I've heard you on the phone cryin' to your momma plenty of times askin' her for money." Rayna called him out.

"Oh, damn, brother, you might be better off just walkin' away from this fight. I think she's got you on the ropes this time." Deacon laughed loudly.

* * *

"I don't know 'bout anyone else, but I think it's time to get off this bus." Deacon said the next morning. He looked over at Scarlett and he could tell that she was starting to get restless.

"I think that's a great idea, babe. We could all stand to stretch our legs for a little bit. We can get Scarlett something to eat and Maddie could use some fresh air." Rayna jumped on board with his idea.

"And I can stop watchin' Hayes there clean his clean his toenails with a kitchen knife. That boy is gonna slip and cut himself." June observed.

"Miss June, this is 'bout the only thing I've found that'll work." Hayes defended himself.

"I should have warned you that bein' on a tour bus is a good way to get to know everyone a lot better than you ever wanted to. Deacon and I never make it a whole tour without having to separate for at least one night. Bein' in close quarters like this is a real good way to get on each other's nerves." Rayna informed her. "Hayes, go do that somewhere else. That is nasty. I'll never understand why you do that and I live with a man who cleans his teeth usin' guitar picks."

"Come on, Ray, you know that I get ingrown toenails and this is the only way for me to fix 'em." Hayes reminded her.

"I know all about your disgusting habits. I know more about all of you than I want to know. It's a damn good thing that I like ya'll or I wouldn't be able to stand you. All ya'll are a pain in the ass. The only reason I don't fire all of ya is because I don't know anyone else who could put up with me the way you do." Rayna admitted.

"Did I just hear the princess admit that she is hard to deal with?" Vince looked up from where he was giving Scarlett drumming lessons.

"Vince, for the love of God don't get her started." Max the bassist begged him.

"Here we go." Deacon squeezed his eyes shut and waited for his wife to explode.

"I may be hard to deal with, but I keep all you morons in a job and that's all that matters." Rayna told them.

"Ollie, you need to stop this bus as soon as possible before there is bloodshed." Deacon called out to the driver.

"I hear ya, Deac, I'll pull over as soon as there is some place to stop." Ollie called back. He'd been their bus driver since they started out.

"Vince, learn when to keep your mouth shut. I'm lookin' to keep a little peace on this bus." Deacon shook his head at his friend.

"I do believe you've just been told." Rayna smirked at him.

* * *

A/N: Here is the next chapter. I hope you guys enjoyed it. Until next time please review.


	12. Chapter 12

A/N: Thanks to all my reviewers.

* * *

Chapter 12

Five Years Later

"It's about time you got down here. We have an event that we can't be late for." Rayna stood at the foot of the steps tapping her foot impatiently.

Deacon came down the stairs carrying Maddie in one arm and an infant in the other. "Sorry, the girls and I were goin' as fast as we could. Maddie misplaced her shoe. I had to find Daphne's socks and she had one hell of a rank diaper. It was a battlefield."

"Language, daddy," Scarlett called him down before Rayna had the chance to.

"Thank you, sweetheart, between the two of us maybe one of these days we will get him to clean his damn mouth up." Rayna rolled her eyes.

"Momma, that's a bad word." Maddie gasped and put her little hands over her mouth.

"I know it is, I'm sorry." Rayna apologized.

Daphne clapped her hands and squealed.

"Come here, Stinker. Thank you for savin' the bad diaper for daddy." Rayna kissed both her cheeks.

"Momma is always doin' somethin' else when there is a really stinky diaper to be changed." Deacon kissed the top of Rayna's head.

"If we don't leave right now we are gonna be late." Scarlett stressed to them.

"Bug, we are leavin' right now. You know that your momma is always late." Deacon shifted Maddie on his hip.

"Let me have Maddie and I'll get her in her car seat that way you don't have to do that and then get in the car." Scarlett took her baby sister.

"She didn't used to be this sassy did she?" Deacon pursed his lips and looked over at his wife.

"I'll readily admit that she gets it from me, but no she used to be timid." Rayna wrapped her free arm around his waist.

"You sure you don't wanna give me that son I've been askin' for?" Deacon laughed softly.

"I'm still thinkin' 'bout it, babe. Daph took a lot outta me. You love all three of your girls and you are the best daddy in the world. They are so lucky to have you." Rayna dodged his question.

By some miracle, they were on time for Scarlett's academic awards' ceremony.

"I always knew she was smart, but I never dreamed she was this smart. I am so damn proud of her." Rayna leaned over and whispered to Deacon. Daphne was on her lap and he held Maddie on his.

"I'm pretty damn proud of her too. We've raised a very good girl." Deacon whispered back.

"Let's hope we do this well with the other two." Rayna squeezed his knee affectionately.

"Dada, dada," Daphne babbled and clapped her hands.

"I think I'm bein' paged." Deacon smiled at his youngest. "Maddie May, go see momma Sissy wants daddy." He handed Maddie off to Rayna and took Daphne. He settled her on his knee and bounced her up and down.

Daphne continued to babble happily.

"Deacon, don't get her all wound up." Rayna whispered harshly.

"I ain't gettin' her wound up. I'm keepin' her calm, so she don't throw a fit." Deacon retorted.

"Deacon John, behave yourself." June scolded him.

"Sorry, momma," Deacon apologized.

"Give me that sweet girl. I can keep her calm without her makin' that noise." June took Daphne from him. She took a cookie out of her purse and gave it to the baby.

"Mr. and Mrs. Claybourne, I was hoping that I could get a minute of your time." Scarlett's school counselor Mrs. Kline approached Rayna and Deacon after the ceremony was over.

"Sure, we have a minute." Deacon handed Daphne off to June. "You go with mawmaw and your sissies for a minute. Momma and daddy have to talk."

"What is this about?" Rayna asked.

"As I'm sure you know, Scarlett is a very bright girl. She's headed to high school next year and I was hoping that you would talk her into taking a few advanced classes. She is so smart, but she is so shy. I want her to do something to come out of her shell a little bit." Mrs. Kline answered.

"Would these classes be puttin' too much on her?" Deacon questioned.

"No, I don't think so. I think she can more than handle these classes." Mrs. Kline assured him.

"We will talk to her and see what she thinks." Rayna smiled politely.

"Alright, I won't take up anymore of your time then." Mrs. Kline smiled back and walked away.

"Deacon, how the hell did we raise a kid that smart?" Rayna turned to her husband.

"I don't know. We did somethin' right let's not change a thing. We are killin' it at this parentin' thing." Deacon high fived her.

"Hell yeah, we are kick ass parents." Rayna agreed with him.

"I try my best, but no matter how old these two get I'm not gonna be able to take 'em out in public." June stared up at the ceiling and muttered.

"Come on, ya'll. I'm takin' all my girls to dinner." Deacon put his arm around Rayna and Scarlett. He glared hard when he saw a boy looking at Scarlett.

"When are you gonna get that boy you've been wantin'?" June teased him.

"Ask your daughter-in-law. She just had to take time off with havin' Daph and it's gonna be awhile 'fore the label is cool with her not tourin' again." Deacon shrugged his shoulders.

"June, don't encourage your son. He will start in on me again soon enough." Rayna laughed off the comment. The truth was she didn't know how she was going to work having another baby into her schedule.

June just shook her head. "Let's go get some food."

* * *

"Daddy!"

"Uncle Deac!"

Maddie and Roy ran across the parking lot to where Deacon was leaning against the front of his truck after they got out of preschool.

"Hey, ya'll," Deacon scooped Maddie up in one arm and Roy up in the other. "Did you have a good day at school?"

"I did," Maddie kissed Deacon's cheek.

"I did too." Roy added.

"Come on, let's get in the truck. Daphne is waitin' on us and I'm gonna feed ya'll 'fore we drop her off with mawmaw." Deacon fastened them both into the back of the truck on either side of Daphne's car seat.

He took the kids to McDonald's and fed them before he dropped Daphne off with his mom.

"Where are we going now, daddy?" Maddie asked.

"You'll see when we get there." Deacon winked at her in the rearview mirror.

"Will my daddy be there?" Roy asked.

"Your momma and your daddy are both there." Deacon winked at him too. He drove them to the Opry. "Alright, let's get you two outta here." He took them out of the backseat and led them into the building.

"Look, whose back and he brought company." Vince stood up from his drums and put the sticks in his back pocket.

"Daddy!" Roy went running into Vince's arms.

"I fed 'em and I dropped Daphne off with her mawmaw. They should be good to be entertained backstage for a little while." Deacon reported.

"Come here, my girl." Rayna held her arms open to Maddie.

"Momma!" Maddie lifted her arms to be picked up.

Rayna picked her up and kissed her cheek. "Were you good for daddy?"

"I'm always good for daddy." Maddie smiled.

"That is such a lie. Daddy lets you girls do whatever you want and he would swear that you were angels no matter what you did." Rayna sat her back on her feet. "Babe, did you maybe forget 'bout one of our daughters?"

"No, I don't think so. I took the little one with me to pick up the middle one from preschool then after I fed 'em I dropped the little one off." Deacon looked confused.

"I'll be easy on you, since I forgot too. Scarlett had a half day today and I had to go pick her up." Rayna finally clued him in.

"We are horrible parents sometimes." Deacon chuckled.

"She's backstage amusing herself. We aren't horrible parents, that girl is just so quiet that it's easy to forget things." Rayna corrected him.

"That doesn't sound much better, babe." Deacon shook his head. "Alright, you monsters, head backstage and ask Scarlett to keep ya company. We have some work to do." He chased the two little ones off.

"Look at him taking control of the situation. I'm still amazed when he has it together like that." Amy teased.

"I have moments like that too. Then I remember he grew up and became a daddy. Maddie saved his life. He's dependable and a really great house husband when he needs to be. He no longer drinks like a fish." Rayna piled on.

"Alright, ya'll that's enough. Leave me alone." Deacon actually blushed.

"This is a big show. We really ain't got time to be messin' 'round." Vince added.

"Right this is only someone's Opry induction. I don't know why she isn't bein' more serious 'bout this." Deacon arched his eyebrow at his wife.

"I ain't bein' more serious 'bout this because if I were I'd lose it. I'm nervous, babe." Rayna wringed her hands.

"Ray, you're gonna be great." Deacon put his arms around her.

Rayna laid her head on his shoulder and let out a loud sigh.

"Ok, I think we need a few minutes." Deacon took Rayna's hand in his.

"Take your time. I know the set list just as well as you do." Vince waved them off.

Rayna and Deacon ran off the stage holding hands.

"Dressing room or utility closet?" Deacon asked.

"Utility closet," Rayna answered.

They ducked into the first open closet they could find. They were making out like a couple of teenagers.

"Don't forget to lock the door." Rayna breathed heavily.

Deacon flicked the lock on the door. He hoisted Rayna up on the counter and began to undo her jeans. He pulled them and her panties down her long legs. "I learned that lesson the hard way." He fused his lips to her neck.

"We have scarred poor Bucky for life." Rayna undid his belt and worked his erection out.

"And a couple of others." Deacon slid into with a satisfied sigh.

They had a long history of not being able to keep their hands off each other. They had been caught on the tour bus and in numerous venues across the country. They never seemed to learn their lesson.

Rayna threw her head back her mouth open in a silent moan. She was doing her very best to stay quiet. She threaded her fingers through Deacon's hair.

Deacon grunted quietly as he thrusted in and out of her.

Five minutes later they returned to the stage.

"We good to go now?" Vince arched his eyebrow.

"Yeah, everythin' is gonna be just fine." Deacon picked up his guitar.

Amy walked over to him and straightened the button on his shirt. "Now everythin' is gonna be fine." She laughed. "It's one thing that we all know what you're doing when you sneak off it's another thing for you two to leave proof."

"Don't act like you and Vince are innocent. You two have been caught in the act just as many times as we have." Rayna scoffed.

"Let's just get this set down." Deacon started playing before they could get into it any farther.

The rest of the rehearsal went off without a hitch.

"Babe, we have a few hours to kill before your big show what do you wanna do?" Deacon asked her.

"I can't think of a thing I rather do than spend some time with you and our girls." Rayna wrapped her arms around his waist.

"That sounds pretty damn perfect to me too." Deacon kissed the top of her head.

* * *

"Ray, you absolutely killed it up there tonight." Bucky greeted Rayna at the side of the stage after she'd finished.

"Thanks, Buck, I really appreciate it." Rayna smiled at him.

"No thanks needed. You're my best client." Bucky hugged her.

"Come here, monkey," Deacon scooped Maddie up into his arms. "What did you think of the show?"

"You played so good, daddy." Maddie threw her arms around his neck.

"Thank you. I think you might be daddy's biggest fan." Deacon tickled her.

Maddie giggled. "You're my favorite."

"Maddie, everybody knows that your daddy is your favorite person." Tandy rolled her eyes.

Deacon put Maddie down after he kissed her cheek. He put his arms out to Daphne who was in June's arms. "Come see daddy."

Daphne clapped her hands and reached for him.

"Look at how happy and wide awake you are. There's gonna be no gettin' you to sleep tonight." Deacon kissed both her little cheeks.

Daphne made a face when his whiskers brushed against her skin.

"Oh, I'm sorry. I know how much you hate that." Deacon laughed. "Bug, did you enjoy yourself?" He asked Scarlett.

"Dad," Scarlett complained.

"Deacon, you're not supposed to call her that in public." June reminded him.

"It still slips sometimes." Deacon shrugged his shoulders.

"It always slips when it ain't supposed to." Scarlett groaned.

"Deacon, she's a teenager, babe. You know better." Rayna mock scolded him.

"I obviously just live to embarrass her." Deacon grinned.

"Let me see my baby." Rayna reached for Daphne.

Deacon started to hand her over.

"Ray, you gotta talk to Edgehill before you get comfortable." Bucky reminded her.

"Of course," Rayna sighed. "Give me a minute, babe. I gotta take care of business before we can get out of here."

"I'll get my gear packed up and be waitin' for you when you're ready." Deacon stole a kiss from her.

"Thank you, babe, you are the best." Rayna kissed him back.

"Only the best for you, babe." Deacon winked at her.

* * *

A/N: Here is the next chapter I hope you guys enjoyed it. Sorry for the long wait I just lost my muse on the direction I wanted this story to take, but I have it figured out now. Until next time please review.


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